Yinka Shonibare: The wind, the earth and the fire

The artistic practice of Yinka Shonibare is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing inspiration from Western art history and literature to explore culture and identity in the contemporary world. Working across a range of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and video, Shonibare examines the notion of authenticity in African art.

His installations often feature mannequins and theatrical scenes dressed in Rococo-style costumes made from brightly coloured batik fabrics, with meticulous attention paid to their aesthetic appearance. In Shonibare’s work, fabric becomes an existential metaphor for Africa and its complex relationship with Europe. It evokes a history shaped by supremacy, slavery, colonialism and postcolonialism, as well as diasporas and migration, but also by fascinating and unexpected forms of global connection.