I

B

N

MENU

E

A

R

H

O

A

I

K

Y

s

N

produced by means of a

A signature element of his work is his use of so-called

A signature element of his work is his

wax-printed fabric,

Dutch

wax-printed

A signature element of his work is his use of so-called Dutch wax-printed fabric, produced by means of a batiklike technique.

produced by means

of a

fabric,

technique.

batiklike

He has these fabrics made up into European 18th-century dresses, covering sculptures of alien figures or stretched onto canvases and thickly painted over.

And Cultural

Hybridity

Colonialism

Influenced both by the aesthetics of Romanticism in Europe and African textiles, this interplay between historical European and African visuals further creates a complex dialogue around the politics of colonialism and post-colonialism.

Being British-born, growing up in Lagos work has been heavily influenced by his own past, exploring ideas of cross-cultural heritage and the creation of a hybrid identity.

Through sculptures, artist Yinka Shonibare CBE considers

effects on modern conceptions of identity

of identity

and it's lasting

of colonialism

and it's

lasting

effects on modern conceptions

Through sculptures, artist Yinka Shonibare CBE

Through sculptures, artist Yinka Shonibare CBE considers the grasp of colonialism and its lasting effects on modern conceptions of identity

the grasp

considers

Shonibare CBE

effects on modern conceptions

effects

effects on modern conceptions of identity

In Scramble

"I wanted to represent these European leaders as mindless in their hunger for what the Belgian King Leopold II called a slice of this magnificent African cake"

for africa

"When I was making it I was really thinking about American imperialism and the need in the West for resources such as oil and how this pre-empts the annexation of different parts of the world."

By exploring colonialism, particularly in this tableaux piece, the purpose of the headless figurines implies the loss of humanity as Shonibare explains:

In 2003, Shonibare reconstructs

Conference of 1884–1885

The berlin

A globe replaces the figure’s head, depicting an astrological map but with the names of these song birds replacing the names of the constellations.

Shonibare also explores ideas of colonialism and post-colonialism in this work. In this way, the bird catcher can be viewed as the coloniser on a failed civilising mission, whilst the fleeing birds symbolise the colonies that have broken free and become independent, despite attempts to shackle them.

the bird

dilemma

Catcher's

Shonibare’s sculpture presents Papageno performing the impossible task of trapping nature, as all of his birds are escaping from their cages.

nspired by the story of Papageno, the bird catcher, in Mozart’s opera

to coincide with the 100th

the 100th

to coincide

nspired by the story of Papageno, the bird catcher, in Mozart’s opera "the Magic Flute" this sculpture was commissioned for Salzburg Museum to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Salzburg Festival of music and drama

Festival of music and drama

nspired by the story of Papageno, the bird catcher,

Inspired by the story of Papageno, the bird

for Salzburg Museum

Museum

in Mozart’s opera

"the Magic Flute"

catcher,

anniversary of the Salzburg

was commissioned

for Salzburg

this sculpture

globes and

astronauts

helmets of

Each faceless figure is in the midst of an action, presented shooting a mass of cherry blossoms from a rifle, lumbering forward with a hefty mesh sack, or balancing a towering stack of cakes.

movement in the form of travel

form the heads

form the

of the figures

figures

while obscuring individual identities

movement

simultaneously gestures toward movement in the form of travel and exploration while obscuring individual identities

simultaneously gestures toward

heads

of the

in the form of travel

and exploration