Yinka Shonibare (Mbe) HOMECOMING
Test your limits at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on the 11th of February 2017.
Modern African art can be international. It can be a work which acknowledges Africa’s relationship with the Western world. We have a right to take anything from the world and appropriate it as we see fit. It is a work that explores Africa’s connection to the globe. We are no longer - we never were anyway - cut off from the world.
British-nigerian artist yinka shonibare, is an MBe holder (Member of the Most excellent order of the British empire) an award given by the Queen of england to individuals for outstanding service to the community or local ‘hands on’ service. at 18, yinka contracted transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal chord. But yinka does not focus on what he sees in the mirror. instead he has defied all odds with a fantastic team that has enabled him translate his art to masterpieces and collector’s items making him one of the most globally acclaimed contemporary artists today. yinka came home recently to showcase his work in a major exhibition for the first time in the birth country of his parents - nigeria. his exhibition was part of a yearlong UK-nG collaborative cultural season run by the British Council. shonibare explores ethnic realities, national identity, colonialism, post-colonialism using batik, and ankara material, most popular in nigeria. however, little has been said of how he draws this inspiration seeing as he has worked at a distance from his first home country all his life. shonibare showcased a life-size installation from his Wind sculpture series in ndubuisi Kanu Park, a public recreation space created by the lagos state Government. style Correspondent ayodeJi rotinWa had the opportunity to sit with Mr shonibare, dialing back years of his accomplished career thus far. a vastly intelligent witty man, he readily discussed african culture being mined for the Western gaze, african characters replacing Western ones in his work and his plans to bring his work closer to home…
surelybeen entreatedthis hasn’t to been come the home. first why time now? you’ve why thisI was exhibition?here in 2008. whyI was this invited installationby Bisi Silva series? who runsthat timethe Centrebut my for artwork Contemporarywasn’t shown.Art. I didIt is a goodtalk at to be time back around home the after British about Councilan absence supportedof 30 me years.to bringThis my work home. Per the last time you came, you had said there was no space in nigeria suitable enough to show your work. has this thought changed?
Well, the particular work I’m showing in Nigeria now is one that can be showed outside. It is a public art piece. The point is for a lot of people to see the work. The last time I was in Nigeria, there weren’t a lot of contemporary art spaces but now there are quite a few. There’s Art Twenty-One, Red door Gallery and the Centre for Contemporary Art. The long term goal for me is that we will have a museum of contemporary art in lagos where we can show international art and local artists. how far along in the works is this, the museum of contemporary art?
There’s nothing concrete yet but I’m going to open a small residency space in lagos where international artists can come to. The idea is they can learn from local artists and local artists can learn from them. We’ve acquired some land in lekki towards this goal and hope to receive support to kick start things. what does coming home mean to you, showing your work for the first time to an entirely nigerian audience?
Thankfully, london is a very international place and I meet a lot of Nigerians in london and they come to my shows. A lot of Nigerians know my work already but this is the first time they are seeing my work at home. you use a lot of ankara print in your work but we have since discovered that ankara isn’t indigenously african in its origins. you’ve once said that this conflict interests you. what do you mean when you say this?
This is understanding the history of where things come from. Of course, the fabrics are popular here and made in African styles so in that sense it is African. But if you look at the history, it’s Indonesian who shipped it to be sold in West Africa. I like to look at the history behind things because I find history very fascinating. I like that overlaps in the same way an African dj doesn’t mind taking something from the uS, from here and mixing it up. It’s very contemporary. I think we are modern Africans and I think that’s what my work expresses. what would you say to people who reckon your work is repetitive since you use the ankara fabric almost always / explore similar themes? Anyone’s who’s seen my last show would know my work isn’t repetitive at all. In my last show, I didn’t use any Ankara at all. The theme and the subject were also different. My work is always evolving. I like to surprise people in a way that you know it’s my work but at the same it is not what you were expecting. being born shortly after nigeria’s independence, do you reckon that this shaped the focus of your work as you frequently explore colonialism, post-colonialism, etc?
No. It does have a lot to do with responding global injustice. I have a way of representing things. Sometimes, I use history as a metaphor. At the end
of the day, I’m not producing a journalistic piece, I’m producing a poetic work of art. With a poetic work of art, you are able to represent a number of things. You don’t have to be literal. You can make a multiplicity of references. Many artefacts stolen, shipped from african countries, nigeria especially, sit in museums in england today. have you ever considered that the african identity, representation of some kind, of most creative / artistic merit, is always skewed towards the western gaze enjoyment?
No. I think as Africans, we are part of the modern world. We drive cars, we use mobile phones, and we can make modern art if we want to. I don’t think we need to go back to being traditional in our art. It is okay for people who want to do that though. Some of us listen to rap and in music we mix and match sounds from Africa, with the West. Why can’t we do that with art? you’ve once said in an interview that culture is an artificial construct. what do you mean when you say this?
What I meant is that we make our own culture. Imagine there’s a stereotype about a certain people, that stereotype isn’t intrinsic to that group, it’s just other people imposing their own views. The way you perceive people is something that’s artificially constructed. There might be a group of people in a certain area known for negative things. That same group of people could change those negative things by themselves so it is not an electable that there would be negative aspects to that culture. In other words, there’s no such thing as ‘that’s how we do it’ or ‘we can’t do anything else’ what informs the choice of colour, fabrication, tell us a little bit about how this series comes to life?
It is a work that enhances the public sphere. It is a work that asks the question, ‘What is modern African art’? Modern African art can be international. It can be a work which acknowledges Africa’s relationship with the Western world. We have a right to take anything from the world and appropriate it as we see fit. It is a work that explores Africa’s connection to the globe. We are no longer - we never were anyway - cut off from the world. Even artists of old were constantly changing. If Picasso is free to use African art, then I’m also free to use anything from any part of the world.