An item from Shakira’s “El Dorado World Tour” merchandise is receiving some heat for what critics say is a striking resemblance to the Black Sun image used by Nazi Germany and modern far-right extremist groups.
As a result, concert producer Live Nation has stopped the sale of the necklace two weeks into the tour (coincidentally, the tour started in Germany), but addressed the controversy by explaining that the design was influenced by “Pre-Columbian imagery.”
The necklace Live Nation designed for Shakira’s “El Dorado World Tour” was based on Pre-Columbian imagery. However… 1/
— Live Nation (@LiveNation) June 21, 2018
some fans have expressed concern that the design bears an unintentional resemblance to Neo-Nazi imagery. We sincerely apologize for this inadvertent similarity and have permanently pulled the item from the tour collection. 2/
— Live Nation (@LiveNation) June 21, 2018
There is a pretty strong resemblance:
https://twitter.com/Billfromwawa/status/1009137788187537413
The “Black Sun” has been adopted by modern Neo-Nazi groups in Germany. If picked apart, there are multiple swastikas within the design.
In Shakira’s defense, it is highly unlikely that she knowingly used Nazi occult imagery for tour merchandise. According to SBS News, Shakira was a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and has frequently spoken out against racism in the press. The “black sun” concept in mythology does have connections to Pre-Columbian Central America.
Regardless, it’s an oversight on her design team’s part. It’s not the first time a design has inadvertently featured connections to Nazi ideologies, but it’s something all merchandise creators should be wary of.
