BOY ON GLOBE 2014

Yinka Shonibare's *Boy on Globe* presents a headless figure dressed in vibrant, patterned fabrics, balanced precariously on a globe. The textiles themselves carry a history; mass-produced 'African' prints sold to Europe, then exported to Africa, an exchange which mirrors the globalised state of the artwork. Look closely, the fabric drapes and folds in ways that suggest the figure is caught in a gust of wind, or even beginning to fall. There is a tension between stasis and motion, between balance and instability. The lack of a head adds to the feeling of disorientation and displacement. I am reminded of Dada collages, where found objects and images are juxtaposed to create new meanings. Shonibare uses fabric and form to explore ideas about identity, colonialism, and the complexities of cultural exchange. What does it mean to be "balanced" in a world that is constantly shifting and changing?