Yinka Shonibare MBE: A Flying Machine for Every Man, Woman and Child and Other Astonishing Works features an idyllic family riding human-powered flying machines modelled after 19th century drawings, alluding to the continual freedom sought by emigrants and tourists alike. Also included is a selection of works from prominent West Coast collections, as well as several recent works that speak to cultural myths and misinterpretations of colonialism.
The exhibition continues to underscore ideas of colonialism and subjugation with Shonibare’s model of the famous, ill-fated French frigate La Méduse ( Medusa, in English), outfitted with Dutch batik sails and menaced by an artificial wave. An enormous C-print photograph of the miniature ship and tempest hangs on the wall next to the vitrine. The show is punctuated by the presentation of Shonibare’s first film Un Ballo in Maschera, 2004, in which the artist continues his quest to question power in relation to race, gender, and history.