Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball), 2004, was the very first film produced by Yinka Shonibare CBE. Loosely based on the 1859 opera with the same title by Giuseppe Verdi, Shonibare’s film resembles a fantastic journey into 18th Century Sweden, where King Gustav III is assassinated at a masked ball.
This elaborate costume drama is a tongue-in-cheek display of courtly excess and frivolity, featuring performers in Dutch wax ball gowns, frock coats and ornate Venetian-style masks. The film is currently on view in the group exhibition, The Fest: Between Representation and Revolt now open at MAK Vienna.
The Fest: Between Representation and Revolt
MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria
14 December 2022 - 7 May 2023
Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball), 2004, High Definition Digital Video, 32 minutes loop, Edition of 6 plus 2 APs. © Yinka Shonibare CBE. All Rights Reserved, DACS / Artimage.