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Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare Artist foreseeing the ages with a lively and vibrant perspective

Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

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Page 1: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#4:�Yinka�ShonibareArtist�foreseeing�the�ages�with�a�lively�and�vibrant�perspective

Page 2: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

British�artist�Yinka�Shonibare�is�of�Nigerian�descent,�and�one�of

contemporary�art’s�most�influential�artists.�His�brilliant�works�candidly

portray�the�sordid�shadow�of�colonial�history.�He�was�part�of�the�Young

British�Artists�and�was�shortlisted�for�the�Turner�Prize�in�2004.�In�fact,

He�is�an�inspiration�to�many,�overcoming�a�physical�disability�to�create�his

work.�Shonibare�observes�society�and�history�with�new�perspective,

reinterpreting�ideas�in�his�own�style.�In�this�episode�of�Brilliant�Ideas

Reemergence�of�African�diaspora�through�art

Page 3: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

Shonibare�has�been�selected�twice�to�represent�the�African�Pavilion�at�the

Venice�Biennale.

presented�by�Bloomberg�and�Hyundai,�meet�the�artist�who’s�reach�effectively

spans�from�Africa�to�the�United�Kingdom�in�inspiring�future�artists.

Shonibare�was�born�in�London�in�1962.�His�family�moved�to�Lagos,�Nigeria,

when�he�was�3�years�old,�where�he�stayed�until�he�returned�to�the�U.K.�for

higher�education.�From�a�young�age,�he�showed�great�interest�in�art,�and

harbored�dreams�of�becoming�an�artist.�Shonibare�returned�to�United

Kingdom�in�his�late�teens�to�study�art,�when�his�tutor�suggested�that�his�work

“be�more�African,”�as�that�was�where�his�roots�lay.�This�led�him�to�search�for

and�explore�authentic�African-ness.��

His�journey�took�him�to�an�African�textile�shop�in�the�Brixton�Market�in�South

London,�which�is�represented�by�a�diverse�African�and�Caribbean

community.�It�was�there�that�the�budding�conceptual�artist�discovered�the

core�tenets�of�his�art.�Shonibare�found�that�the�best�African�fabric�was

actually�manufactured�in�the�Netherlands�and�exported�to�Africa,�and�that

the�wax�prints�were�originally�inspired�by�Javanese�batiks.�The�fabric�that

was�most�typically�considered�“authentic�African,”�was�in�fact�the�product�of

an�imperialist�and�colonialist�history.

A�journey�to�find�himself

Page 4: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

Realizing�that�the�textile�was�an�embodiment�of�the�African�identity,

Shonibare�sought�to�reflect�both�a�national�identity�and�historical�irony

through�it.�Communicating�with�the�audience�is�art’s�most�important�role�to

Shonibare,�who�through�his�works�seeks�to�convey�his�personal�experiences

and�interpretations�of�social,�historical�and�political�debates.�

The�so-called�“traditional”�African�fabric�from�Brixton�Market�became�the

main�material�in�many�of�Shonibare’s�works,�including�Double�Dutch.�He

tailors�period�costumes�from�the�fabric�to�dress�mannequins�for�exhibitions,

or�outfit�actors�for�performances.�The�vivid�colors�and�brilliant�patterns�on

the�textiles�capture�the�gaze�of�onlookers.�The�exaggerated�poses�of

headless�mannequins�are�a�curious�sight�that�encourages�the�audience�to

ponder�the�context�of�the�work�and�its�hidden�meaning.�Mr�and�Mrs�Andrews

Without�Their�Heads�(1998)�is�one�example,�a�work�in�which�the�heads�of�two

mannequins�were�removed,�making�their�ethnicities�indistinguishable.�The

resulting�figures�can�be�anyone,�unconfined�by�racial�category.

Subsequently,�visitors�are�able�to�place�themselves�into�that�position.�The

artist�also�recreates�famous�Western�paintings�such�as�The�Swing�(after

Fragonard)�and�Last�Supper�(after�Leonardo),�in�parody,�dressing�up�figures

with�the�“Africanized”�clothing�and�humorously�shining�light�on�the�darker

aspects�of�the�colonialist�history.

Beyond�continental�borders

Page 5: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

In�1997,�Shonibare�participated�in�a�group�exhibition�by�Charles�Saatchi,�the

world-famous�collector.�Fittingly�titled�“Sensation,”�the�controversial

exhibition�presented�selected�works�from�Saatchi’s�personal�collection.

Among�them�were�works�by�Shonibare,�which�brought�him�worldwide

exposure�and�reputation.�Juxtaposed�alongside�provocative�works�by�the

other�members�of�YBAs,�Shonibare�presented�two�mannequins�dressed�in

Victorian-era�garb.�Circle�Art�Agency�Director�Danda�Jaroljmek�expressed�a

great�appreciation�for�Shonibare’s�decision�to�present�with�a�more�subtle

charm,�describing�him�as�an�artist�who�knew�how�to�“address�important

issues�in�a�lighthearted�way.”�

Shonibare’s�most�recent�works�move�beyond�the�African�continent,�toward

more�contemporary�global�issues.�The�2015�“Rage�of�the�Ballet�Gods”

exhibition�at�the�James�Cohan�Gallery�in�New�York�investigated�the�reality�of

modern�society�suffering�from�the�growing�effects�of�climate�change

induced�by�greenhouse�gas.�Three�ballerina�sculptures�were�presented,�each

a�recreation�of�an�icon�from�Greek�mythology:�Zeus,�Apollo�and�Poseidon.

Each�figure�was�dynamically�paused�mid-�movement,�fitted�in�colorfully

made�outfits�with�globes�for�their�heads.�Each�mannequin�carried�a�large

symbolic�token—a�thunderbolt,�a�lyre,�a�trident.�However,�the�resplendent

appearance�of�his�sculptures�contain�a�far�darker�subject�matter.�The�artist

created�a�satirical�depiction�of�the�selfish�neglect�and�willful�ignorance�of�the

humans�who�have�caused�such�environmental�havoc�by�depicting�the�Greek

as�all-powerful.�The�old�Greek�gods�control�even�the�climate�in�this�world,�as

flamboyantly�as�ballerinas.

Page 6: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

Shonibare�was�born�in�London,�but�his�gaze�was�always�turned�to�the�greater

world�beyond.�His�work�encapsulates�global�issues,�such�as�unchecked

petroleum�development�and�nonrenewable�resource�depletion.�His

embraces�all�cultures,�and�is�not�bound�to�any�single�category,�be�it�race,

nationality,�gender�or�class.�Although�his�art�addresses�social�problems,

Shonibare�stresses�that�he�is�an�artist�and�not�a�revolutionary,�and�does�not

want�to�impose�historical�understanding�or�social�consciousness�onto�the

audience.�Though�he�may�proffer�themes�and�tidbits�of�information,�he�is

sure�to�leave�interpretation�to�the�sole�individual.��

His�brimming�force�of�creativity�and�activity�leads�the�contemporary�art

scene.�At�times�humorous�and�at�others�cynical�in�his�expression�of�empires,

colonialism,�cultural�identity�and�globalization—all�contemporary�keywords

coined�by�the�West—Shonibare�takes�a�unique�path�never�before�walked.�

■�with�ARTINPOST

Page 7: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

<Adam�and�Eve>�2013Unique�life-size�mannequins,�dutch�wax�printed�cotton�textile,�fiberglass,�wire�and�steel�baseplates�285×230×115cm�Courtesy�of�the�artist�and

Blain|Southern,�London�and�Berlin�Photo:�Christian�Glaeser�ⓒ�The�Artist

Page 8: Brilliant Ideas Episode #4: Yinka Shonibare · core tenets of his art. Shonibare found that the best African fabric was actually manufactured in the Netherlands and exported to Africa,

British-Nigerian�artist�Yinka�Shonibare�sublimates�sorrow�in�his�art.�Working

in�sculpture,�painting,�installation�and�video,�he�creates�brilliant�and�moving

works.�While�his�works�express�the�dark�history�of�Western�imperialism�and

colonialism�in�Africa,�they�maintain�a�beautiful�quality.�At�the�age�of�18,�the

artist�suffered�an�illness�that�left�him�partially�paralyzed.�However�his

physical�disability�has�not�stopped�him�from�becoming�an�active�figure�in�the

world�of�art.��

Shonibare�came�into�the�spotlight�as�part�of�the�YBA�(Young�British�Artists),

considered�the�first�generation�of�contemporary�British�art.�He�was

shortlisted�for�the�Turner�Prize�in�2004,�and�was�the�representative�artist�for

the�African�Pavilion�at�the�Venice�Biennale�in�2001�and�2007.�He�also

attracted�the�interest�of�the�international�art�world�by�participating�in

DOCUMENTA�11�in�2002.

Profile