Last year News and Noise! published an article about the commotion caused by Madonna on her MDNA tour. We were wondering whether she could use her fame to be truly engaged. The answer is yes. She actually started a revolution of love! In an interview with Eddy Moretti (Vice), see video below, she explains how and why. Looking back at the MDNA tour, she noticed signs that made her feel uncomfortable and eager to do something. The tour started in Israel when the threat of war between Israel and Iran emerged. But also the fact that homosexuals are in danger in Iran. In Kiev, the people aren’t allowed to complain about the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko. The arrest of the girls of Pussy Riot, the intolerant gay law in Russia. Back in the USA, the complacency and the disproportionate security. And so on and so further. These signs of oppression made Madonna wanted to fight ignorance, fight for freedom of speech, and encourage people to tell their stories. Together with Steven Klein and Vice, she launched the digital platform: Art for Freedom.
by Charlie Crooijmans
It all began with the film Secretprojectrevolution which was supposed to be an ad campaign of Madonna’s lingerie line, Truth or dare. The company thought it was far too edgy and provocative. So in Buenos Aires the gig was called off. Since the whole crew and producer Steven Klein was there, Madonna decided to make the Secretprojectrevolution. In this movie the dancers express their personal story, the gun represents branding, and you can hear recordings of the critical speeches she held during the MDNA tour.
The film is about living in a world where basic rights are under attack. It is a hard lens on the dystopian now.
On the platform, Art for Freedom, you can join in. Madonna and Steven Klein invite everyone to start their own revolution of love. ‘We have created this platform to give people around the world an opportunity to answer the question: “What does freedom mean to you?” Express your personal meaning of freedom and revolution by submitting your art for freedom [at the site] or by tagging your posts #ArtForFreedom.’ (Art of freedom). There has been uploaded some videos already, just take a look in the agenda.