FLOWER POWER KIDS (DUELING) 2014

Yinka Shonibare created *Flower Power Kids (Dueling)*, an installation with two headless mannequins dressed in vibrant, patterned fabrics, each holding a pistol that sprouts colourful flowers. It’s like a painting come to life, where gesture and form communicate a story. I imagine Shonibare beginning with the fabric, letting its riotous patterns guide the composition. It’s easy to imagine how the artist might have thought about the symbolism of flowers as instruments of peace in this context. The texture of the fabric and the density of the floral arrangement adds layers of meaning, suggesting abundance and growth, but also excess and conflict. Shonibare’s figures, like characters in a surreal play, invite us to consider the tensions between beauty and violence, childhood innocence and global politics. Other artists, like Jeff Koons, have explored similar themes, using bright colours to critique consumer culture. Artists are always talking to each other. Shonibare’s work reminds me that art doesn’t have to be serious to be profound.