brilliant ideas episode #4: yinka shonibare · core tenets of his art. shonibare found that the...
TRANSCRIPT
Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#4:�Yinka�ShonibareArtist�foreseeing�the�ages�with�a�lively�and�vibrant�perspective
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
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
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
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.
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
<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
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.
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