I fell in love with the work of Yinka Shonibare MBE during
graduate school, when I was writing my Master’s thesis on clothing
in contemporary art. Shonibare’s work is
centered around the use of Dutch Wax textiles, exported from the Netherlands for
African markets. The fabric is widely accepted as a symbol of African culture,
but really signifies colonization and the merging of cultures, which is a very
central theme to Shonibare’s work and his persona as an English Nigerian. I’ve
followed Shonibare’s career very closely since 2008, and have had the privilege
to see his work in person in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and as of
this weekend, in Chicago. For his MCA Plaza Project, Shonibare created large
scale Wind Sculptures that resemble flowing pieces of Dutch Wax fabric
undulating in the breeze of nearby Lake Michigan.
Dutch wax dress: thrifted
Dutch wax sandals: Etsy
Handbag: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Sunglasses: Duane Reade
Photos by Kristen Seay at the Museum of Contemporary Art,
Chicago.
