APHRODITE OF KNIDOS (AFTER PRAXITELES) 2017

Yinka Shonibare's sculpture gives Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, a total makeover. The fabric here is his signature Dutch wax print, a textile with Indonesian batik techniques, manufactured in the UK, and sold to West Africa. The intense blues and oranges of this material have a life of their own. You can imagine Shonibare in the studio, draping and pinning the fabric, coaxing it into a new form. The globe in place of a head is such a simple, powerful idea. It makes me think about trade routes, cultural exchange, and the complicated relationship between colonizers and the colonized. It’s like Shonibare is saying, “Let's rethink what we know about beauty and power.” It reminds me of the way Chris Ofili reinterprets classical and biblical themes in his paintings, turning everything on its head. Ultimately, this piece invites us to question the stories we tell ourselves about history and art.