THE TOWNLEY VENUS 2017

Yinka Shonibare’s ‘The Townley Venus’ reinterprets a classical sculpture through the lens of globalization and postcolonialism. Shonibare was born in Britain and raised in Nigeria, so his work often explores the complex relationships between Africa and Europe. Here, Shonibare dresses a Venus figure in vibrant ‘African’ fabric—which is actually Dutch wax print, mass-produced by the Dutch and sold in West Africa. Instead of a head, the sculpture has a globe, symbolizing the reach and impact of Western culture on a global scale. The headless figure challenges traditional representation, asking us to rethink the Venus as a symbol of Western beauty and power. As Shonibare puts it, his work invites us to consider “how we construct our perceptions of other cultures.” Ultimately, Shonibare urges us to consider the entangled histories of cultural exchange, and the power dynamics at play in our globalized world. He asks us to confront uncomfortable truths about cultural identity, while evoking a sense of wonder.