Yinka Shonibare considers the tangled relationship between Africa and Europe at Serpentine South

British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, who first exhibited at London’s Serpentine gallery in 1992, returns with his first institutional solo exhibition in over 20 years. Titled ‘Suspended States’ (12 April – 1 September 2024), the show sees Shonibare dive into themes of refuge, shelter, the ecological impact of colonisation, imperialism, and the consequential attempts at peace. The new exhibition of sculptures, quilts and woodcut prints also features two new large-scale installations titled Sanctuary City and War Library, and coincides with the artist’s presentation at the Venice Biennale 2024.

Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Suspended States’ at Serpentine South

‘My work has always been about the crossing of boundaries: geographically, visually, historically, and conceptually,’ said Shonibare, who is the founding artist of art and educational project The World Reimagined, which addressed the Transatlantic slave trade. ‘“Suspended States” is an exhibition that addresses the suspension of boundaries, whether psychological, physical, geographical – all boundaries of nationhood are in a state of suspense. This is an exhibition in which Western iconology is reimagined and interrogated, at a moment from history when nationalism, protectionism, and hostility towards foreigners are on the rise.’

The artist’s interdisciplinary practice uses citations of Western art history and literature to question and comment on the political and economic history of Africa and Europe, and their tangled relationship.

Sanctuary City is a new installation that consists of miniature versions of buildings that have currently, or historically, been places of refuge, from a Chinese Methodist Church in Hong Kong to ancient sites such as The Temple of Theseus in Greece. Shonibare incorporates his trademark technique of Dutch wax print – inspired by Indonesian batik designs, mass-produced by the Dutch and then sold to British colonies in West Africa – into the interior of the buildings, which glow from within while their exteriors are painted black, emphasising the humanitarian need for shelter around the world.

War Library features 5,000 books bound in Dutch wax print. Along each spine, gold lettering indicates what lies within, nodding to peace treaty titles and conflicts. Shonibare hints at ‘human amnesia’ with mankind's attitude towards repeating previous traumas inflicted on humanity. Draped throughout the exhibition, his quilt series African Bird Magic intertwines images of African artefacts that inspired Western modernism with endangered bird species. The conflicting imagery nods to the climate emergency, and the damage to the environment caused by colonial industrialisation.

Shonibare’s mediaeval map drawn from imagery of Hereford Cathedral is the centrepiece for Creatures of Mappa Mundi, which reflects ‘the contemporary concerns of fear of the stranger which often leads to xenophobia’. This runs parallel with Decolonised Structures, Unstructured Icons, and Cowboy Angels, which highlight how luxurious lifestyles are supported through exploitation and colonisation, and the importance of African art on global culture.

‘Suspended States’ by Yinka Shonibare is on display at Serpentine South from 12 April-1 September 2024

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