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Themen:

110
Yinka Shonibare CBE, The African Library Collection (Poets), 2022

Chapter: Ulysses - Narration and Identity

Information

Gallantry and colonial violence
Yinka Shonibare gained international recognition in 2002 with his installation Gallantry and Criminal Conversation for documenta 11. The British-Nigerian artist staged headless dolls dressed in elaborate Rococo costumes made from “traditional” African batik fabrics dating from the period shortly before the French Revolution, when the European aristocracy ruled the colonies and the slave trade was flourishing. At first glance, Shonibare’s tableaux appear to present idyllic, romantic narratives of an educated society. In fact, however, they depict scenarios of latent sexual decadence and violence.

Ideas of exoticism and folklore
In many of his works, including those created for documenta 11, Shonibare uses bright colors and “traditional” batik patterns derived from Dutch wax fabrics, which are popular in West Africa but actually originated in Indonesia and were introduced to Africa by the Netherlands during the colonial period in the nineteenth century. These fabrics are still imported into Africa today, now in industrially manufactured form. Shonibare thus questions Eurocentric notions of exoticism and folklore, as well as the reciprocal relationship between “African” aesthetics and Western modernity.

The African Library
The African Library is considered one of his most important installations. It is part of a large-scale project comprising three libraries. Developed over several years, the work engages with the legacy of colonial history and the necessity of decolonization across three continents. In addition to The British Library (2014), which is now part of the permanent collection of the Tate, and The American Library (2018), which has been exhibited in museums across North America, The African Library was also conceived for Shonibare’s first exhibition on the African continent in Cape Town. The installation consists of six thousand books bound in wax-printed fabrics and embossed with the names of individuals who have helped shape Africa in the postcolonial era, like Rabia Djelzi and Wole Soyinka. Shonibare’s intention is to give public visibility to many people who remain little known or unknown within the Western canon.

Late recognition
The library is organized into thematic sections or “collections” such as literature, science, music, and art. In a study room, visitors can access a microsite to learn more about the individuals represented in the library and their contributions to shaping contemporary Africa. The African Library Collection (Poets) was conceived in 2020 as a spin-off collection, bringing together many authors who have yet to receive recognition in Europe and the United States.

Audio

Note: The audio transcription is voiced by an AI.

Yinka Shonibare CBE, The African Library Collection (Poets), 2022
183 hardback books, Dutch wax printed cotton textile, gold foiled names, wooden shelves, white paint, index card box
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2026
Written Art Collection

Further artworks from this exhibition