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Omar Sy: "It's not about yesterday, it's about tomorrow"
Photo: Clemens Niehaus / Future Image / IMAGO
When it comes to the men's magazine »GQ«, there is often no understatement.
Between thick watches and other expensive bells and whistles, the magazine also regularly selects the “Men of the year”.
About this year's winner of the award, Omar Sy, the paper writes: "The French Revolution." Not exactly reluctant either.
In terms of what Sy has achieved as an actor and ambassador against racism, however, the comparison seems justified.
Raised in the Parisian suburb of Trappes as one of eight children of West African immigrants, the 43-year-old worked his way through to one of the most prominent actors in the country.
After his breakthrough with “Pretty Best Friends” in 2011, he can now be seen in the series “Lupine” as a master thief - and outside of filming, too, he deals with the question of who works of art and jewelry actually belong to.
A balance between the oppressor and the oppressed is important to him
In an interview with »GQ«, Sy remembers a scene with a balance between the oppressor and the oppressed.
“This scene is exactly what I wanted to achieve with Lupine,” he tells the magazine.
It also fits in with the debate about how to deal with looted colonial art today - and the question of whether and when it should be returned.
Giving back this art, as Sy says "GQ", is the best way to acknowledge what happened.
“Yes, there are oppressors and oppressed, but they are two sides of the same story.
It is our shared story. "He adds:" We can write a wonderful ending for this story.
Together."
It's not about repairing the past, Sy told the magazine: "It's not about yesterday, it's about tomorrow."
"GQ" also speaks to Sy about the new Humboldt Forum for non-European art in Berlin, which contains numerous exhibits of dubious provenance.
How would Sy feel in such a place?
The actor says, "Why don't we make a museum that talks about his art being stolen?"
apr
