The Palais de Tokyo in Paris has removed a controversial artwork by American artist Cameron Rowland shortly after it went on display, with museum officials stating that the piece could be considered illegal under French law. The work, titled "Replacement" (2025), involved replacing the French flag that normally flies above the museum with the official flag of Martinique, France's overseas territory in the Caribbean.
The piece was commissioned specifically for the exhibition "ECHO DELAY REVERB," which opened recently and focuses on American artists influenced by French theory. The show was curated by Naomi Beckwith, deputy director and chief curator of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, who also serves as artistic director of Documenta 16. The exhibition explores the complex relationship between American contemporary art and French intellectual traditions.
Rowland's installation featured the new Martinican flag adopted in 2023, which displays bands of black and green along with a red triangle, rather than the previous colonial-era flag with a white cross and four snakes that France had imposed on the territory. As is typical of Rowland's conceptual practice, the artwork included an extensive wall caption explaining the historical and political context behind the artistic gesture.
The caption provided a detailed account of Martinique's colonial history, beginning with the statement: "Since it was colonized by the French in 1635, Martinique has been a part of France. Martinique remains part of the French nation-state as an overseas department. France remains reliant on Martinique. Black Martinicans have pursued the end of French rule for 390 years." The text went on to quote the mission statement of the Mouvement Indépendantiste Martiniquais, a French political party advocating for Martinican independence.
The quoted statement from the independence movement described Martinique as "a politically dominated territory, economically exploited, militarily occupied, culturally alienated and fettered by the European free-trade agenda, which prohibits any idea of lasting protection for our island economy." This direct political messaging appeared to be central to Rowland's artistic intervention and may have contributed to the museum's decision to remove the work.
"Replacement" was installed on Wednesday as part of the exhibition opening, but by Thursday, it had been taken down. Maxwell Graham, Rowland's New York-based gallery, announced the removal on Instagram, posting images of new wall text that replaced the artwork. The revised signage simply stated: "Palais de Tokyo has determined that Cameron Rowland's artwork could be considered illegal. As a result it is no longer included in the exhibition."
While museum officials and representatives for Rowland declined to comment on the specific legal concerns that led to the removal, the incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between France and Martinique. In 2024, the Caribbean territory was shaken by violent protests over economic conditions, particularly the high cost of food, which was reported to be 40 percent higher than prices in mainland France according to Agence France-Presse.
The protests escalated to the point where one person died and a police station was set on fire, prompting French authorities to deploy anti-riot police forces that had been banned from use in Martinique for more than six decades. Martinican authorities subsequently prohibited further demonstrations, highlighting the volatile political situation surrounding the territory's relationship with France.
Rowland is widely recognized in both the United States and Europe for creating thought-provoking sculptures and installations using ready-made objects to address overlooked or invisible histories. The artist's previous works have tackled issues including mass incarceration, systemic racism, the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and questions of land ownership. This body of work has established Rowland as a significant voice in contemporary art's engagement with social and political issues.
The removal of "Replacement" represents a rare instance of censorship at a major European contemporary art institution and raises questions about the limits of artistic expression when it intersects with sensitive political topics. The incident also highlights the ongoing complexities of France's relationship with its overseas territories and the challenges museums face when exhibiting politically charged contemporary art.
