VENUS DE MILO (AFTER ALEXANDROS) 2016

Here, Yinka Shonibare reinterprets the Venus de Milo, clothing the classical sculpture in vibrant Dutch wax print fabric, and topping it with a globe. The fabric itself is so tactile; you can almost feel its texture, despite it being rendered in smooth, hard material. Shonibare’s mark-making seems less about concealing and more about revealing the layers of meaning embedded in the materials. Notice how the fabric drapes and folds, mimicking the classical drapery of the original Venus, yet charged with new cultural significance. The choice of fabric is particularly striking. Dutch wax prints, originally inspired by Indonesian batik, were mass-produced by the British and Dutch and sold in West Africa. They've since become a symbol of African identity and independence. That globe for a head is the perfect final touch, conjuring questions of global interconnectedness, cultural appropriation, and the shifting sands of history. Artists like Shonibare help us see the world, and the history of art, in a whole new way.