WINGED VICTORY OF SAMOTHRACE 2017

Yinka Shonibare’s "WINGED VICTORY OF SAMOTHRACE" really takes the cake! It's a real visual feast, especially with that explosion of color and pattern. I bet Shonibare was having a blast layering those Dutch wax fabrics, figuring out how to drape and shape them to create the folds and movement of the sculpture. The globe on the head is the cherry on the cake. The texture of the fabric makes me want to touch it, feel its weight and how it falls. Thinking about this piece, it reminds me of El Anatsui’s draped metal tapestries – both artists are playing with texture and form. It's like Shonibare is having a conversation across time with artists, riffing on old masterpieces and giving them a whole new spin. Ultimately, this piece is a reminder that art is always evolving, borrowing, and transforming, and that there's always room for new voices and perspectives in the mix.