Yinka Shonibare MBE at the Driehaus

Elaborate costumes, intricate patterns, and striking figural forms fill the work of Yinka Shonibare, a world-renowned artist who has roots in both London and Lagos, Nigeria. Shonibare’s works reflect aesthetic features of the Victorian age, while undertaking a deep exploration and interrogation of issues tied to colonialism and its aftermath. Within the contemporary context of globalization, his work looks to history and provokes concerns of our present moment. Presenting Shonibare’s rich work, this exhibition holds particular significance as the Driehaus Museum’s first to feature a contemporary artist. Displayed in the context of a Gilded Age house museum, the exhibition includes a range of Shonibare’s photographs, sculptures, and installations. Composed by the seasoned museum director and curator Richard P. Townsend, the catalog offers readers critical commentary on how Shonibare’s work weaves together themes of the Gilded Age with today’s conversations on society, race, and economic issues.