The exhibition celebrates the arrival of Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, 2010 by inviting Yinka Shonibare MBE to infiltrate and occupy the Royal Museums Greenwich sites. It encourages us to look at the National Maritime Museum collections with fresh eyes, and ask different questions about out maritime and stargazing past.
Shonibare's work interrogates origins, cultural exchange and authenticity. It is instantly recognisable thanks to the repeated use of Dutch-wax fabric. Inspired by Indonesian batik and first produced by the Dutch for a European market, this brightly coloured printed cotton has now become a powerful symbol of West African identity.