Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA) was born in London and moved to Lagos, Nigeria at the age of three. He holds an MFA in fines arts and currently resides in London. In 2004 Shonibare was awarded the decoration of Member of the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” (MBE), and in 2013 he was elected Royal Academician by the Royal Academy of Arts (RA). He uses these distinctive honors in his name. Shonibare is the first commissioned artist at the Barnes since Matisse.
We had the privilege of hearing “YINKA SHONIBARE IN CONVERSATION” as he discussed his work with Princeton’s Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy, Kwame Anthony Appiah, at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The audience listened intently as they casually discussed his works which explores “colonialism and post-colonialism within the contemporary context of globalization.” as well as a variety of artistic perspectives. Later we had a chance to meet the artist and mix and mingle with friends and patrons of the Barnes. It was an exciting evening.
For more information about the exhibit at the Barnes which runs from January 24,-April 21, 2014 visit http://
www.barnesfoundation.org. Yinka Shonibare
http://www.yinkashonibarembe.co/biography
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Sarah Hewitt, 2005.
Fiberglass, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, wood, and steel, 150 × 45
1/2 × 48 in. (381 × 115.6 × 121.9 cm). Detroit Institute of Arts,
Museum Purchase, W. Hawkins Ferry Fund, Friends of Modern Art
Acquisition Fund, Janis and William Wetsman Foundation Fund, and funds
from Lila and Gilbert B. Silverman, and Andrew L. and Gayle Shaw Camden
Contemporary and Decorative Arts Fund, 2006.147.A—.E. © Yinka Shonibare
MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New
York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London.
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Magic Ladders, 2013.
Mannequins, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, fiberglass, wooden
ladders, paper-covered wooden books, globe heads, and steel, each 118
1/8 x (300 x 100 cm). Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation, supported
by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All
rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New
York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Magic Ladders, 2013.
Mannequins, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, fiberglass, wooden
ladders, paper-covered wooden books, globe heads, and steel, each 118
1/8 x (300 x 100 cm). Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation, supported
by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All
rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New
York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White |
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Scramble for Africa,
2003. 14 life-size mannequins, 14 chairs, table, and Dutch wax-printed
cotton, 51 15/16 x 192 1/8 x 110 1/4 in. (132 x 488 x 280 cm).
Commissioned by the Museum for African Art, New York. Private
Collection. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014.
Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman
Gallery, London. |
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| Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (Europe),
2008. C-print mounted on aluminum, 81 1/2 × 58 × 2 1/2 in. (207 × 147.3
× 6.3 cm). Edition of 5, AP 2/2. Courtesy of the artist and James Cohan
Gallery, New York/Shanghai, JCG3742.AP2. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All
rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New
York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London |
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). The Age of Enlightenment—Immanuel Kant,
2008. Life-size fiberglass mannequin, Dutch wax-printed cotton, and
mixed media, 59 1/2 × 43 1/2 × 26 in. (151.13 × 110.49 × 66.04 cm).
Milwaukee Art Museum, Purchase, with funds from the Contemporary Art
Society, M2012.500. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS
2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen
Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Jason Mandella |
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Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Planets in My Head, Physics,
2010. Mannequin, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, and fiberglass, 50 ×
26 3/8 × 19 5/8 in. (127 × 67 × 49.8 cm). Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,
Kansas City, Missouri (purchase: acquired through the generosity of G.
Kenneth Baum in honor of Ann Baum on the occasion of her birthday),
2011.23.A–E. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014.
Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman
Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White
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All Photographs© 2012 The Barnes Foundation Do not duplicate or copy without permission
