The Red Mother With Child

Hartwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum, gave a very uncomfortable television interview. Like many institutions the British Museum had issued statements supporting Black Lives Matter but failed to reflect on their own actions. Their supportive statements were met by criticism.

"Observers were quick to point out that this same institution is known for closely guarding its collection of colonial-era objects from Africa, including the Benin Bronzes, as well as other contested items such as the Parthenon Marbles. And they noted that Fischer had left out key actionable words like “repatriation” and “restitution.”

Oh dear!

In this story a young man endures a perilous journey through Algeria, Libya, Italy and France so that he can give a statue to the Louvre. The statue was rescued in the past from colonialists and is now under threat from Islamists. All these years later France is seen as a safer place.

Oh the irony!

Well it seems to be safer for the statue, but less safe for Alou the young man from Mali who is entrusted with the statue.

This is a fascinating story and contrasts the importance placed on artefacts with the importance place on human life. The artwork in the comic is really good and the red of the statue contrasts with the grey and cream artwork which is used to tell the story.

The story is definitely gripping and at the end the statue finds a home but does Alou find a home?

I dislike open ended stories and loose threads but perhaps the openness in this story is an opportunity to ask questions.

Why couldn't a young migrant go into the Louvre? Why didn't anyone actually care about him? Was the statue really worth the risk?

In the end I did think that perhaps it would have been better to hide the statue from the Islamists in another tree rather than undertaking such a terrible journey.

I think the story is clever in the way it portrays the interweaving undercurrents of colonialism, race, poverty, religion and migration, and weaves them into a very rich story centred on the Louvre.

What other stories could be told about the Louvre and the artefacts there or about the millions who visit there, or those who work there? This book is part of a series of stories centred on the Louvre so of course there are many stories to be told.

I did enjoy reading this. There were times I had my heart in my mouth as Alou negotiated the dangerous migration route. The story leaves us reflecting and pondering about number of issues and I think that can only be a good thing.

Copy provided by NBM Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A gorgeously drawn graphic novel with an interesting narrative, plot, and concepts. Definitely recommended for fans of this genre.