BRONZE (BLUE & RED) 2018

This riot of color and form, Bronze (Blue & Red), is the work of Yinka Shonibare. It is a joyous sculpture, I can only imagine the studio as it came into being, alive with fabrics, patterns, and the sheer physicality of shaping material. The patterns and colors—reds, blues, purples—feel almost musical, like a visual jazz riff. I can imagine the artist coaxing these rigid materials, pushing them to take on new shapes, finding that perfect balance between control and chaos. The fabric seems to defy gravity, frozen in mid-air. The texture is smooth, the patterned fabric stretched taut over the armature beneath. It makes me wonder if it's a nod to the dynamism of Bernini's Baroque drapery. Shonibare's vibrant forms invite us to consider how art transcends boundaries, both cultural and temporal. It's like all artists are in a perpetual conversation, riffing off each other's ideas and techniques. It is a work that speaks to the ongoing dialogue between tradition and innovation.