s n a c i r e m a 0 3 a landmark exhi
Free TRACE supplement (Issue 84 / February 2009)
bition
The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club (Thurgood), 2008 by Rashid Johnson
business ethics, because consumers tend to instinctively suspect that their motives are questionable. The challenge for a large, transnational, highly visible corporation like PUMA is to carefully implement meaningful, sustainable (and expensive) programs that appeal to consumers while staying focused on the bottom line. PUMA believes that its position as the creative leader in “Sportlifestyle” gives the company the opportunity – and the responsibility – to contribute to a better world for the generations to come. As it strives to do good by doing the right thing, the company has launched a large, global effort called PUMAVision, which is intended to help to build a safer, more peaceful, and more creative world than the world we know today. To that effect, PUMA has developed a tool called 4Keys, which is a sort of barometer that forces executives and employees to constantly reevaluate all endeavors and ask themselves whether the corporate practices are Fair, Honest, Positive, and Creative. The corporate statement is the following, “We believe that by staying true to our values, inspiring the passion and talent of our people, working in sustainable, innovative ways, and doing our best to be Fair, Honest, Positive, and Creative, we’ll keep on making the products our customers love, and bring that vision of a better world a little closer every day.”
An Unidentified Jamaican Boy Used the Puma H Street Running Shoe to Run for his Freedom 2003/2005, 2005 by Hank Willis Thomas
Can ambitious, multilayered, social initiatives like PUMAVision truly change the world for the better? by_Claude Grunitzky
Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government defines corporate social responsibility in strategic terms. “Corporate social responsibility encompasses not only what companies do with their profits, but also how they make them. It goes beyond philanthropy and compliance and addresses how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships in all key spheres of influence: the workplace, the marketplace, the supply chain, the community, and the public policy realm. The term ‘corporate social responsibility’ is often used interchangeably with corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, social enterprise, sustainability, sustainable development, triple-bottom line, corporate ethics, and in some cases corporate governance. Though these terms are different, they all point in the same direction: throughout the industrialized world and in many developing countries there has been a sharp escalation in the social roles corporations are expected to play. Companies are facing new demands to engage in public-private partnerships and are under growing pressure to be accountable not only to shareholders, but also to stakeholders such as employees, consumers, suppliers, local communities, policymakers, and society-at-large.” With CSR becoming a big, all encompassing buzzword at large corporations worldwide, it was only a matter of time before vocal activists subjected the concept itself to debate and criticism. Ultimately, companies that undertake these efforts will be judged on their
Non je ne regrette rien, 2007 by Wangechi Mutu
Currently, PUMAVision is focused on initiatives that fall under three different banners, PUMA.SAFE, PUMA.PEACE, and PUMA.CREATIVE. PUMA’s support for the landmark, somewhat controversial “30 Americans” exhibition, a collaboration with the Rubell Family Collection that was launched last December during Art Basel Miami Beach, is a testament to PUMA’s commitment to encouraging important debates and prompting social and transcultural dialogue. In January 2009, PUMA.CREATIVE also supported the Hussein Chalayan retrospective, which is being held at the Design Museum in London. There are other events planned for 2009, including an initiative that will involve many African artists across a spectrum of activities and expressions, from sponsorships and residencies to web-based promotions of the artists’ profiles. Ultimately, PUMA and its CEO Jochen Zeitz understand that the company has an obligation to society, and that is why they are constantly seeking to challenge the organization at every level of operations.
Jochen Zeitz As Chairman and CEO of PUMA for the past 15 years, Jochen Zeitz has initiated collaborations with designers as diverse in background as Jil Sander, Xuly-Bet, Philippe Starck, Alexander McQueen and now Hussein Chalayan, a new creative director at PUMA. He is also in love with the African continent, and PUMA has long been the leading outfitter of African football national teams. On the occasion of the launch of the “30 Americans” collaboration with the Rubell Family Collection, an initiative of PUMAVision, his company’s latest endeavor in the field of corporate social responsibility, Zeitz spoke with TRACE magazine about his plans for making the world a better place. What led you to launch PUMAVision? Everyone knows the world is in bad shape, and we´ve got to pull together to do something about it. I was searching for a vision of a world that´s Safer, more Peaceful and more Creative than the one we know now. As a starting point, PUMAVision is our answer, as a company. For a long time now, PUMA has been engaged in the kind of environmental and social initiatives that come under the “Corporate Social Responsibility” heading. As I looked at ideas and listened to what my team leaders and customers had to say, it became clear we needed to develop a coherent direction and framework and push boundaries to create a new “Vision.” Making that vision a practical reality led us to develop the PUMA.SAFE, PUMA.PEACE, and PUMA.CREATIVE projects. When you combine those projects and initiatives with our company-wide commitment to sustainability and the highest ethical standards, and also the focus on making the products that our customers love, you get the PUMAVision. Its core values are the 4 Keys - Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative. We make it a habit of constantly asking ourselves if we´re being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative about what we´re doing or thinking of doing. These values will guide everyone at PUMA and should also reach our partners and suppliers globally.
How important is it for large corporations like PUMA to establish social responsibility practices? It´s vital. We are living in times when we must seize the opportunity to affect change collectively; corporations, governments and individuals. We all have a responsibility to listen to our planet’s needs in order to survive. By getting its people to work together, a corporation can combine forces and speed up the pace of improvements. Global companies have the power to work in ways that contribute to making the world a better place – not just reducing harm but actively improving our planet and people’s livelihoods. At PUMA we have worked for so long at the most creative edge of Sportlifestyle that we now want to apply that same passion and creative energy to supporting new endeavors and partnerships towards a more responsible world. With our PUMA.SAFE program, we hold ourselves to the highest ethical and sustainable standards – trying to develop new materials, processes and products that help raise the bar on safety and working conditions for our workers, suppliers and the environment. And that’s just one aspect of what we do. Ultimately, the PUMAVision pulls under one banner of Corporate Social Responsibility (or Corporate Social Opportunity as I prefer to call it) all of the things we’ve already been doing and expands the scope of those initiatives and projects – supporting peace, supporting creativity, and supporting sustainability. We´re not perfect but should that inhibit us from trying? We are keen to learn from our mistakes along the way. We’ve got a lot more to do before we can start patting ourselves on the back. Why did you chose to support “30 Americans”? PUMA loves to experiment with the “new.” We like creating powerful relationships between creative spirits and major players in the sport and fashion worlds – influencers that include, to name just a few, Usain Bolt, Samuel Eto’o and Hussein Chalayan, our Creative Director for the PUMA Sport Fashion collections. Supporting “30 Americans” was a natural step for PUMA. We have a longstanding commitment to Africa and creativity so when the opportunity to participate in this extraordinary project came up it felt like a natural thing to support. We love to align ourselves with people who have integrity, passion, skill and determination in their specific field. It´s energetic and inspiring to take the risk and feel the challenge of supporting something “new.” I like to push boundaries. You have stated that you might want to bring the “30 Americans” exhibition to Africa in 2010. Why do you think such a show would work for African audiences? When I first saw the show with a broad general audience on the opening day at the Rubell Foundation, I was blown away. I wondered why we hadn´t had seen an exhibition like this before and wanted to share my experience of it. I was inspired and moved for two reasons: One, it was simply beautiful, excellently executed and interesting to look at;
two, the art powerfully highlighted some dark truths of our collective historical past. There are many things I learned that could not have come from a textbook. I was able to better understand and appreciate some daily hidden challenges that were faced and managed to overcome. Stuff we take for granted. It takes courage to share one’s vulnerabilities and hang them up on the wall for all to scrutinize. What a gift that these artists have to be able to do that. Art can engage our head and heart, our logic and compassion. It’s an opportunity to put all the cards on the table, a choice and a chance to confront shameful issues gracefully and in a non threatening way. Even in a fun and humourous way, as some of the artists have done. And by illuminating tough situations and putting them in context, great art allows us to forgive without forgetting. It opens up a natural, inquisitive dialog. Almost an adventure in thought. From there we can create a safe platform, to see others ideas and perceptions of truth, generate acceptance and then move forward. “30 Americans” can also help to open up the intercultural dialogue between Americans who have roots in Africa, and Africans. There is a lot to be learned from each other in general and this show is a great stepping stone to exchanging ideas, techniques, thoughts, values and beliefs. The African continent has played a very important role in developing creative concepts for PUMA and we now want to take it a step further. With each additional step, Africa will continue to be an important creative source of inspiration globally. This feels like a movement that may develop. I would like to continue supporting the exhibition, in partnership with the Rubells, while encouraging Africans to take the next step. I´m excited to see what could come out of this show in Africa. Africa is a hotbed of creativity and opportunity. What is next for PUMAVision? We will continue to step up and do everything we can to evolve this new roadmap of sustainable, peaceful and creative initiatives. We will expand and deepen our three core corporate social responsibility focus areas of PUMA.CREATIVE, with the support of the Hussein Chalayan Retrospective at the Design Museum London on January 21st, 2009; SAFE, by launching a new approach to waste management and sustainable store operations by the end of 2009; and PEACE, with our ongoing support of PEACE ONE DAY and the related ONE DAY ONE GOAL football campaign that unites communities all over the world through football. By the way, in 2008, that campaign initiated over 180 football matches in almost 40 countries. I currently keep two quotes in mind that reinforce and guide my vision: “Individuals can make a difference and collectively we can make a major contribution.” (Kofi Annan) “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” (Theodore Roosevelt)
the Rubell Family at ans” exhibition ic of several r e m A 0 3 “ gathering The a landmark tists Collection isof African American ar generations By Claude Grun
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A couple of weeks before the “30 Americans” exhibition opened to the Art Basel public, I was invited, along with two of the artists in the show, to dinner at the Rubell family house, which is located on a patch of land right behind the Rubell Family Collection in Miami’s newly hip Wynwood Art District on 29th Street, not far from Biscayne Boulevard. Mera Rubell had just given me a private tour of the show, and I had a lot of questions, only a few of which were eventually answered over dinner and at the subsequent “artist conversations” that took place over the course of several days during the fair. My main concern had to do with the timing of the show. Now that the whole world was in love with the Obamas, and the idea of a black president, was this the right time to showcase art coming out of the sole African American mindset? More importantly, why such a focus at the end of an electoral year when the debate over racial identity had all but exhausted political pundits and regular voters alike? I quickly understood that the Rubell clan – Mera and Don along with their children Jennifer and Jason and Jason’s wife Michelle – was a very pragmatic bunch, and that instinct seems to drive every bit of their collecting process. Speaking with the Rubells, but also interviewing and chatting off the record with several of the artists in the show, I also realized that Thelma Golden, the curator-turned-executive director of the Studio Museum in Harlem is, in many ways, a center of gravity for this show. Many of the artists featured were either discovered or nurtured by Thelma before and/or after her seminal shows Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art (1994) and Freestyle (2001), which were held at the Whitney and Studio Museums, respectively. Mera and Ron Rubell chose to name the exhibition “30 Americans,” rather than “30 African Americans,” or “30 Black Americans,” because they felt that the issues raised by the works in the show – race, class, gender, identity, among others – are at the core of the American experience. In the same way that Barack Obama is now the American president, and not the African American president, they chose to dedicate the 27 galleries occupying the entire 45,000 square-foot exhibition space in their Rubell Family Collection (which is housed in a converted Drug Enforcement Agency confiscated-goods warehouse) to a group of emerging and established artists who, in various ways, speak to the complexity of the American experience. The show, which drew a record 8,000 visitors a day during the Art Basel Miami Beach fair, is a bold, controversial statement in a time of massive societal change, but the Rubells do not feel that “30 Americans” is opportunistic in any way. In the exhibition catalogue, they wrote the following: “Since we started collecting in the 1960s, we have always collected African-American artists as part of our broader mission to collect the most interesting art of our time. Approximately three years ago, we found there was a critical mass of emerging African-American artists, and began the process of understanding what seemed to be a new movement. When we asked these artists about their influences, we heard some of the same names over and over: Robert Colescott, Renée Green, David Hammons, Barkley Hendricks, Kerry James Marshall, Gary Simmons, Lorna Simpson, Kara Walker, and Carrie Mae Weems. We had been collecting almost all of this older generation for decades. Perfect conditions for a new exhibition.” This older generation is represented in the show, which features almost 250 works by 31 (not 30) artists (including the deceased icon Jean-Michel Basquiat), but the other names on the list are (in alphabetical order) Nina Chanel Abney, John Bankston, Mark Bradford, Iona Rozeal Brown, Nick Cave, Noah Davis, Leonardo Drew, Rashid Johnson (whose image was chosen for the catalogue cover), Glenn Ligon, Kalup Linzy, Rodney McMillian, Wangechi Mutu, Xaviera Simmons, Shinique Smith, Jeff Sonhouse, Henry Taylor, Hank Willis Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, Purvis Young and William Pope.L. At the end of the day, having surveyed the breadth of the experiences and emotions displayed under the “30 Americans” banner, it feels very much like this particular exhibition is particularly relevant to the way we live now, together (but too often apart) in Obama’s America. Ultimately, as the curator Franklin Sirmans wrote about the show, “We are dealing with the here and now.”
The “30 Americans” Crew (artists, the Rubells, Rubell Family Collection staff, and Jochen Zeitz) Photographed_under Glenn Ligon’s “America, 2008” by Kwaku Alston
Previously the Director of the Grand-Duc Jean Modern Art Museum in Luxembourg, French born Marie-Claude Beaud is a seasoned curator who is known for her interests in the broader arts, including movies, graphic design, architecture and fashion. As an early supporter of the landmark “30 Americans” exhibition held at the Rubell Family Collection during Art Basel Miami Beach last December, she is a key stakeholder in the PUMA.CREATIVE projects.
A IS FOR AFROPESSIMISM A dyspeptic variation of Afrocentrism, Afrofuturism, Afronauts and various other “Afro” words.
B IS FOR BLACK A child of the civil rights movement, my mother believed that as black people we would use our natural talents and abilities to rise above adversity. Paradoxically, she also believed that blackness consisted of habits, not nature, and most of those that she associated with it were negative. In response to the “grown acting” of my childhood years she used to say, “Roll your eyes at me again and I will knock the black off you.” For years I imagined that blackness was like the shell of a hard-boiled egg, which, if tapped frequently and methodically, could be peeled away; or that blackness could be scraped off like the surface of a burnt toast.
Why did the “30 Americans” show resonate with you? Because I’ve known the Rubell family for years; they are serious collectors and I am very pleased to support and work with them. Did you consider that the timing of the “30 Americans” show could seem opportunistic, in light of the new Obama presidency? Not at all. This show was in the works for three years and is a result of decades of collecting art. What are the constraints of showcasing art when corporate objectives must be taken into consideration? None, if the collection and the people behind it are serious. Now that the Art Basel Miami launch of PUMAVision is behind you, what have you learnt about the process of art and commerce? Commerce is more obvious and often short term, except if done with a real vision for art. You have to appreciate the support and make it work, hoping for the long term view of the people you work with. Which 2009 PUMAVision projects should we look forward to? First of all, the PUMA.CREATIVE-supported Hussein Chalayan exhibition at the Design Museum in London. Hussein is a friend and PUMA has done well in choosing him as their Creative Director.
I IS FOR INVISIBLE MAN I first read Ellison’s novel in high school. The density of the text mirrored what I thought about black people: that we were a deep people. It was reading that book that made me think I wanted to be a writer, although when it was first published not everyone was happy with its depiction of black life. One critic claimed, black people “need Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man like we need a hole in the head or a stab in the neck.” Still, that novel was a crucial catalyst for the use of text in my paintings.
L IS FOR LIGON My mother worked as a therapist’s aide at Bronx Psychiatric Center, a large mental health facility in the Northeast Bronx. Sometimes, after school, I would meet her at work to go to the lunch counter at Woolworth’s for grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream sundaes. Since the hospital was an outpatient facility, half of the people we ran into on the walk to Woolworth’s were being treated at the hospital. I would play a game with my mother called “Patient or Employee,” the object of which was to guess whether the person who shouted “Ligon!” at my mother as we passed on the street was a mental patient or a coworker. I was never very good at this game.
P IS FOR PROUD James Brown’s “Say it Loud” was released in 1968. When it came on the radio I could sing the “Say it Loud” part but I could only whisper, “I’m black and I’m proud.”
R IS FOR RACE Childhood crushes: Race Bannon on Jonny Quest, and Racer X on Speed Racer. Every Saturday morning I would wake up at 6 a.m. to wait for my cartoon paramours to appear in black-and-white on the old console TV we had in the living room of our apartment.
Y IS FOR “YOU FEEL ME?” You feel me?
Z IS FOR ZULUS I remember when being called a “Zulu” was an insult. When I was very young, black people didn’t want anything to do with Africa. Ironically, this was after a period earlier in the century when black people organized themselves around leaving America and going back to Africa. In the late sixties, black people rediscovered Africa again, although it was still a mythologized Africa, and Africa where everyone knew our name. Nowadays everybody wants to be a Zulu, though we don’t necessarily want to live in Africa. Being a descendant of a Zulu is enough. Zulu is beautiful. Now that’s change you can believe in.
Excerpts from “Untitled” by Glenn Ligon (October 2008) Copyright “30 Americans Rubell Family Collection” catalogue The “30 Americans” show is on at the Rubell Family Collection until May 30th, 2009 Rubell Family Collection 95 NW 29th Street Miami, Florida 33127 Telephone 305 573 6090 www.rfc.museum
The “30 Americans” launch dinner during Art Basel Miami Beach. Clockwise, from top left: Jochen Zeitz and Franca Sozzani, Naomi Campbell, Thelma Golden and Duro Olowu, Jason, Jennifer, Mera and Don Rubell, Ryan McGinley, Don Rubell with guests and artists Nina Chanel Abney, Shinique Smith and Rashid Johnson.
“The metal box with spider icon was designed by John Armleder and the red pencils were imprinted with statements by “30 Americans” artists”
Sacrifice #2: It Has to Last (after Yoshitoshi’s “Drowsy: the appearance of a harlot of the Meiji era”), 2007 by Iona Rozeal Brown; One Day and Back Then (Standing), 2007 by Xaviera Simmons. Noir, 1978 by Barkley L. Hendricks
As part of the “30 Americans” exhibition initiatives, PUMA.CREATIVE and the Rubell Family Collection launched the limited edition Reality Bag No. 2 (RB2) for Spring Summer 2009, as the latest endeavor within the “Reality Series” project, a series of collaborations with contemporary artists. RB2 builds on the success of the original Reality Bag, launched for the Spring Summer 2008 season, which was curated by the Serpentine Gallery London and designed by the Swiss artist John Armleder. “This bag is an artwork containing artworks,” said John Armleder. Conceived as a portable gallery, each bag (made of leather and distressed wood) contains art-related items designed by the artists featured in “30 Americans.” Only 500 bags (numbered and signed by John Armleder) were produced for this project, and for each bag sold, PUMA will donate $100 to the Rubell Family Collection’s Contemporary Arts Foundation, which seeks to promote social dialogue through art, and to the Serpentine Gallery Education Programme, which is committed to the development of rich, culturally diverse activities that promote enjoyment of the arts for all.
This page, from left to right_Carla Sozzani, Jochen Zeitz, Franca Sozzani, Bruce Weber in front of the PUMA mobile unit for The Reality Series CREDITS FOR PHOTOS ON PAGES_15 and 16: Photographs by Hank Willis Thomas & Wyatt Gallery, featuring Rashid Johnson Photographers_Hank Willis Thomas & Wyatt Gallery www.hankwillisthomas.com and www.wyattgallery.com Production_Wyatt Gallery / The Agency Retouching_Marion Mislim www.cornerofmyeye.net Digital Technician_JP Cunningham Lighting Technician_Sergio Jurado Assistant_Adam Reign Styling_Sheree Hovseplan & Anya Ayoung-Chee Models_Rashid Johnson, Anya Ayoung-Chee Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2008, The Lady Tigra, Stephan Morris, Worelda “Dera” Taylor, Wyatt Gallery and Hank Willis Thomas Make Up: Kazumi Hair_Nicole Nelms Intern_Dera Equipment Rentals_Focus Hotel_Photographed on location in Miami at the Albion Hotel Pool, the Rubell Collection, and Key Biscayne Beaches Agency_neutral Zurich ltd., www.neutralzurich.com With a special thank you to the Rubell Family Collection, the Albion Hotel and Focus Rentals. STOCKISTS_The Reality Bag 2 (2009 edition, leather and distressed wood, designed by John Armleder and PUMA) will be available next month at all four PUMA Black Stores, including the one at 421 W 14th St New York, NY 10014, Tel 212 206 0109) and at the Serpentine Gallery Store (Kensington Gdns, London, W2 3XA, Tel 020 7402 6075)