Born in Britain with Nigerian roots and raised between London and Lagos, Yinka Shonibare manifests a mixed heritage through artwork. In addition, his artistry prowess signifies a person living in two worlds with a global perception of issues such as nationalism, politics, and belonging. His work not only draws one’s attention to ponder on the excess but also challenges people to consider the ever-increasing disparity in global politics. This paper highlights the culture, social commentary, materials used, and, the artist’s message to the public.
Shonibare combines a mixture of cultures through artwork with a worldview. In addition, the cultures include Asian, European and African. He has combined them through patterned fabrics with materials from different states around the globe. For instance, the arrangement in geometric motifs in a ruffled skirt with Dutch wax signifies both Africa, Indonesia, Britain, and France origins. Through all these, he brings out the intertwining nature of culture.
Similarly, the artist recreated a Rococo painting done in 1967 by Fragonard referred to as The Swing; a three-dimensional piece signifying the frivolity, richness, and opulence of the French aristocracy prevalent during the pre-revolutionary period. Through this work, Shonibare highlights the colonial relations and explains how one cannot escape the Victorian way of life experienced during that era of culture, architecture, and attitudes.
The artist uses costumes sewn from abstract patterned and colorful fabrics with bright golds, blues, and reds that are arranged in geometrical motifs in a ruffled skirt with both the Dutch and African cultures’ imprints. In addition, they come from Asia, Britain, France, and Africa. Furthermore, the fabrics relate to the indigenous identity, patterns based on motifs found in Indonesian batiks and Dutch wax textiles. As a result, they are all connected to the main message relayed by the artworks showing them as by-products of European imperialism not only in culture but also, in economic entanglements.