ART-PRESENTATION: Yinka Shonibare MBE
The exhibition “…and the wall fell away” marks a pivotal moment in Yinka Shonibare’s practice with the complete absence of the Dutch wax batik textiles for which he is known. The artist removes the fabric altogether and uses the batik designs in new forms; mural painting, bronze sculpture, screen prints on canvas and the appropriation of classical sculpture.
By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Stephen Friedman Gallery Archive
The exhibition “…and the wall fell away” at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London is divided into two parts: Gallery One is focused on ideas of rationality in classical art and Gallery Two, on religious hybridity. On Gallery One, an expansive wall painting is framed by the white walls of the gallery. Unlike previous iterations of these impressive installations, here there are no sculptural elements. This work sets the tone for the show as the wax batik pattern is stripped from the fabric and painted directly onto the wall. Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”, the wall painting in the front space of the gallery is completed by an accompanying floor drawing rendered in gold and red. These two elements form one immersive work. Da Vinci’s drawing was intended to demonstrate the humanist perspective that man is the measure of all things. Shonibare’s proposal of a new measure is a black figure, and a hybrid of both man and woman. In Gallery Two are on presentation three sculptures recognisable as “Venus de Milo”,” Discobolus of Myron (Discus Thrower)” and Michelangelo’s “David” are hand painted with batik patterns. Much like the artist’s series of “Self Portraits (after Warhol)” in which he superimposed batik patterns onto his own face, the sculptures are transformed with the patterns ‘tattooed’ directly onto the sculptures. Using sculptural archetypes of sexuality, masculinity and athleticism, Shonibare manipulates the aesthetics of these forms to challenge the accepted definition of the idealised body. The series of imposing hand pulled screen-prints on canvas in Gallery Two is Shonibare’s largest and most ambitious to date. A key feature of Shonibare’s work is its visual appeal, and these are immediately seductive in colour and beauty. Figures from Christian and African religious iconography merge into fantastical hybrids. Shonibare is able to make these works by using new technology and drawing on a large tablet. Each canvas began with an image of a European religious figure. Shonibare dressed the faces of the saints in African masks used in religious rituals. Stock market listings from the Financial Times are then juxtaposed with Dutch Wax Batik patterns and vivid clashing colours. Removing the textiles for which he is known and using the mimesis of the fabric is an important move for the artist. Shonibare sees the material as a metaphor for interdependence: complexity and ambiguity are the cornerstones of his artistic narrative.
Info: Stephen Friedman Gallery, 25-28 Old Burlington Street, London, Duration: 28/9-5/11/16, days & Hours: Tue-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 11:00-17:00, www.stephenfriedman.com
