CUPID BENDING A BOW 2018

Editor: This is Yinka Shonibare's "Cupid Bending a Bow," created in 2018. It's a mixed-media sculpture, and the first thing that strikes me is the…unexpected combination of classical imagery and those vibrant fabrics. What do you see in the way Shonibare uses materials here? Curator: Well, on the surface, you have Cupid rendered in what appears to be Dutch wax print fabric—instantly complicating any simple reading of "love" or "beauty." Shonibare often employs this fabric precisely because of its complex history. It was originally produced by the Dutch for the Indonesian market, but found greater popularity in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, where Shonibare was raised. Editor: So it's about trade and cultural exchange, but also about the means of production? Curator: Exactly. Think about the labor involved in producing these textiles. The industrial processes in Europe, the colonial exploitation of resources and labor in Africa... even Cupid's golden bow points to extraction and refinement. This isn't just a playful postmodern twist. Editor: And the globe in place of a head? It adds another layer. Curator: Of course! What's Cupid’s domain? Love, desire... now considered on a global scale. Consider, how do goods and desire circulate? Who benefits? Who is exploited? Shonibare is making the tools of love synonymous with global power dynamics. The playful image becomes a complex analysis of material culture. Editor: I never thought about Cupid representing those types of forces before! Looking at how Shonibare uses everyday material to comment on these massive systems and histories gives me a totally new appreciation for this sculpture. Curator: It highlights the way something seemingly decorative and benign can carry so much weight and meaning tied to global circuits of power and value.