FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Travel

The 1995 Photograph from the Rwandan Genocide That Inspired Yeezy Season 3

Here's the image's powerful history.

Paul Lowe's 1995 Image

The image that appeared on the Yeezy Season 3 Invitation is 20 years old and tells a powerful story. Two decades before Kanye ever thought to enter Maddison Square Garden, the British photographer Paul Lowe photographed a Rwandan refugee camp one day after the infamous Kibeho Massacre.

On April 22nd,1995, Tutsi soldiers opened fire on a camp in the small town of Kibeho populated by thousands Hutus. It was the largest camp in Rwanda at the time. Their open fire caused a stampede which ultimately left thousands dead. The following day, the Hutu survivors barricaded themselves within the camp and refused to leave. Paul Lowe's image captured those defiant Rwandans. To this day, the exact circumstances of the tragedy remain unclear.

Advertisement

Paul was pleased to see the photo re-emerge, telling TIME: "When my work gets picked by other cultural forms and used to explore the edges of what social politics are about, it's quite interesting." He went on to point out the image's continuing relevance proves racism continues around the world: "the fact that an image that is 20 years old can still resonate today is indicative that there's still a lot to do."

This article originally appeared on i-D Australia

Related:

Marvel Vs Capcom Vs Kanye in One GIF

Kanye Gives Sobering Advice to Fashion Students

Petition Demands Kanye West Curate the Venice Biennale