CHEEKY LITTLE ASTRONOMER II 2015

Curator: We’re looking at Yinka Shonibare's "Cheeky Little Astronomer II" from 2015. It’s a mixed media piece—primarily a headless sculpture of a figure gazing through a telescope. Editor: It’s immediately striking. The figure is vibrant, almost playful. The bright, patterned fabric is compelling and draws your eye upwards to the globe where their head should be. It’s unexpected and a little disorienting. Curator: Shonibare’s work frequently uses Dutch wax fabric, which, although often associated with Africa, actually has its origins in Indonesian batik and was later industrialized by the Dutch and English. It became a symbol of African identity through trade. Editor: Yes, this appropriation and recontextualization are critical. It points to the complex, intertwined histories of colonialism, trade, and cultural identity. The "Cheeky Little Astronomer" can be seen as a commentary on global power dynamics and knowledge production. Who gets to look, to observe, to claim understanding? Curator: Exactly. The astronomer, traditionally a figure of scientific authority and exploration, is presented here without a head, replaced by a globe, leveling the playing field, in a way. He makes this reference as Europe looked to colonize the globe centuries ago. The fabric's history highlights these uneven distributions of power. The artwork then questions the traditional narrative of scientific advancement as inherently objective. Editor: I also think about the ‘cheeky’ part of the title. There’s an element of subversion. It’s not a reverent portrait of scientific pursuit. There’s a playfulness that hints at skepticism. We’re perhaps invited to question the motives and impact of those who chart the stars and map the world. Curator: Shonibare's figures often lack a specific identity, they are ciphers to examine how these different socio-cultural narratives intertwine to produce different subject positions. In this piece, we see an interplay of historical forces at play to define the African subject, their trajectory, as it intersects Europe through exploration, imperialism, and industrialization. Editor: The “Cheeky Little Astronomer II” isn't just a visually stimulating sculpture. It acts as an engaging lens for viewing history, power and identity, making us look more carefully into the power dynamics we embody today. Curator: Precisely. It prompts reflection on the legacies of colonialism, especially on the making and consumption of cultural meanings in a globalized world.