Born 1962 in London, UK
Lives and works in London, UK
Yinka Shonibare ironically deconstructs icons of Western power. Dogon-style animal masks from Mali are placed over the faces of historic rulers such as Henry VIII and the Pope (as depicted by Francis Bacon), an act which Shonibare says ‘de-westernizes’ them. The images parody 18thcentury lifestyles celebrating opulence enabled by colonialism and the slave trade; an excess which ultimately led to the demise of the Ancien Régime in France.
Shonibare juxtaposes the intricate patterns of Western aristocracy with those of African textiles to explore power relations and the complex layers of 21st-century hybrid identities. These are further highlighted through the collage of batik textiles, his signature material.
Yinka Shonibare studied Fine Art at Byam Shaw School of Art (Central Saint Martins) and at Goldsmiths College. His work explores issues of race and class through the media of painting, sculpture, photography, and film.
1962 年出生於英國倫敦
現於英國倫敦生活及工作
因卡．修尼巴爾的作品解構西方權力符
號，將畫家培根筆下的亨利八世以至教
皇等等歷史風雲人物的臉，用西非馬利
多貢族人的動物面具遮蓋住。藝術家解
釋，這是為他們「去西方化」的解構手
法，藉此諷刺十八世紀殖民主義及奴
隸貿易所帶來的揮霍無度生活方式。
正是這種窮奢極慾，將法國舊政權推
向衰亡。
作品展示西方貴族階級與非洲紡織品的
細致圖像，將兩者並置對照，從而探
討權力關係及廿一世紀混合身份認同的
複雜層次。藝術家更運用其標誌性的物
料蠟染布做出拼貼，突出身份認同的
複雜性。
修尼巴爾曾於柏亞姆肖藝術學校（中央
聖馬丁學院）修讀純藝術，亦曾就讀金
匠學院，擅於採用繪畫、雕塑、攝影及
電影等媒介進行創作，致力探討種族及
階級問題。
