1962) is one of Great Britain’s most important and versatile artists. Art UK has updated its cookies policy. Yinka Shonibare’s use of iconic artworks to explore the construction of cultural identity and the impact of colonialism and post-colonialism seems …
The upswing and downswing is a metaphor for this balancing act.' 'I wanted my work to deal with serious issues in a playful way... it's about providing a space for reflection. Yinka Shonibare CBE, The British Library 2014. If I've already decided the outcome, there is no space for thought. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. 'The figure of the astronaut was initially a simple metaphor,' he explains.For Shonibare, the astronaut stood as a symbol of discovery and expansion into new territory. Yinka Shonibare is a British-Nigerian artist and Member of the ‘Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’ (MBE). 'He adds: 'I wanted my work to be viewed everywhere by everyone. 'As it happens, out of nearly 9,000 records of public sculpture currently on Art UK (there are many more to arrive), a significant proportion of the artworks reflect individuals and bodies of (white) power – the church, the monarchy or the government.He continues: 'It is so incredibly important for these works to be digitised and no longer solely in elite spaces.
If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. 'A universal symbol, the motif of the globe 'voids the issue of identity. 'My work has always incorporated fashion, textiles and popular culture. 'Shonibare's signature colourful fabrics have a complicated historic import. The British Library 2014 is an installation of 6,328 hardback books individually covered in colourful ‘Dutch wax print’ fabric and arranged on rows of shelving. While some people regarded it as a celebratory work, or even jingoistic, others thought it was being critical of Nelson and British history.' Shonibare's brilliance lies in the fact that his art usually poses a pertinent question. He notes, 'as a medium, sculpture has always been more closely associated with the elite. Tate acquires Yinka Shonibare installation The British Library The site-specific installation, which highlights the impact of immigration on British culture, also features a digital platform for visitors to join in the discussion.. Reflecting on Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, Shonibare says, 'the work made a huge impact, partly because it divided opinion. 'Shonibare's life-sized mannequins appear so familiar, they have an uncanny, anthropomorphic quality. To celebrate our collaboration, I interviewed him about the evolution of his work, his views on public sculpture, and his concerns for the future.Born in London in 1962, Shonibare moved to Lagos, Nigeria with his family at the age of three. 'Shonibare's brilliance lies in the fact that his art usually poses a pertinent question. I aim to look at those traditional icons and dismantle that power. But when the terrorist attacks became more and more frequent, I decided to stop creating headless figures. By using this website you are agreeing to the use of cookies. We will be negotiating our relationship with Europe for years. He challenges the status quo rather than pushing a political dogma. 'A question on the artist's mind was: 'How can I bring something from Brixton market into the gallery? 'In fact, Shonibare has experimented with many mediums, from video, photography to performance work.He has perfected the art of the diorama – uncanny installations that appear to be taken directly from a theatre production or stage set. In the early 1990s, I was thinking about this period of history and the guillotine. It needed to be something people could relate to, something that felt familiar. It all became too macabre. It prevents the work from alienating groups of people. 'I was not taking influence from the sculptural practices of Henry Moore or Barbara Hepworth... nor even my closer contemporaries at Lisson Gallery like Richard Long or Richard Deacon.