Yinka Shonibare

Did a little research about this particular artist I like and may be an inspiration for my fine art project rotation.

Yinka Shonibare grew up in the Nigerian capital of Lagos but was born in London in 1962. Influence by both African and western culture he considers himself ‘truly bi-cultural’ and make a great effort to open up debate about the social, cultural and political issues that shape our histories and construct identity. Because of this strong believe of ‘bi-culture’ works challenge assumptions about representation by playfully blurring the line between stereotypically Western ideas about ‘high’ art and traditional categorizations of ‘African art.’

The Swing (after Fragonard) 2001 re-presents a celebrated eighteenth-century painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard of a young woman kicking out her legs from underneath a froth of petticoats while lounging on a swing. Luxury, wealth and frivolity are symbolised through dress, though fabric branded with a modern commercial logo supplies a humorous twist.

http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/2004/images/Shonibare--MAXA-2.jpg

In Maxa 2003, Shonibare substitutes the canvas for small regimented circles of ‘African’ fabric that are decorated on the front and sides like icing on a cake. These perfect circular forms create visual chaos and offer a political challenge to ideas about taste. The problematic history of the fabric undercuts the visual pleasure of the patterns as the work becomes a metaphor for excess and exploitation. Shonibare creates ‘high’ art from commonplace cloth, asking us to consider the excesses of commercial decadenceand its relationship with third-world exploitation.

“He is best known for his use of colourful batik fabric, which he buys from Brixton market. Labelled as ‘African’, the fabric actually originates from Indonesia; it was introduced to Africa by British manufacturers via Dutch colonisers in the nineteenth century. Shonibare uses the fabric as a metaphor to address issues of origin and authenticity and to challenge straightforward readings of his work.” @http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/2004/shonibare.shtm

I love his concept and how he use the fabric material as a metaphor of his concept showing that our culture identity is never again pure.