'...AND THE WALL FELL AWAY' 2016

Curator: Right now, we're standing in front of Yinka Shonibare's "...AND THE WALL FELL AWAY," created in 2016 using acrylic paint and mixed media. What's your initial read of the piece? Editor: Woah, that hits you. I’m drawn in, like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, by this explosion of color and form, a feeling of organized chaos or controlled release. It feels vibrant, yet there's a depth there too. Curator: Indeed. Shonibare often utilizes batik fabric, and while this piece uses acrylic, we see that signature vibrant, geometric patterning that references Dutch wax fabrics which themselves have a complex history rooted in colonial trade routes between Europe, Africa, and Indonesia. Considering those routes, and how globalization continues to reshape production. I feel it shows just how global that world market and manufacturing continue to be. Editor: I can see that reading, absolutely. For me though, there’s almost something psychedelic about this piece, reminiscent of 60s op-art, with its almost overwhelming repetition, playing tricks with the eye. I wonder, is it inviting us into a new dimension or showing a fragmented reflection of reality? It reminds me of my own artistic process—that sometimes a breaking point is required before the emergence of true beauty and raw creative potential. Curator: A 'breaking point' feels spot-on considering Shonibare’s own engagement with challenging conventional norms around the art world. This feels deeply layered in those considerations. You think about how material and design choices impact labor...that every act of consumption leaves it’s mark, but in his vision, the artwork reclaims it’s space—and perhaps makes viewers confront this very real and material circumstance too. Editor: And from that intense interplay of meanings we reach the idea of change, destruction, renewal. Ultimately, it feels hopeful. Something genuinely inspiring to carry forward from the exhibition today. Curator: A perspective I heartily agree with. Thanks for that wonderful engagement, and I hope you all carry some piece of this insight with you as you move through your day today!