Nigeria: Yinka Shonibare's fabric-inspired sculpture unveiled in his home country

The iconic work of art by British-Nigerian artist , dubbed the “The Wind sculpture”, made of batik design, explores the notion of harnessing movement, through the idea of capturing and freezing a volume of wind in a moment in time.

The six meter fibre-glass and steel, has been installed at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park in the Alausa area of Lagos.

The sculpture’s interplay of bright colours is patterned after the Dutch-wax fabric known as the Abnkara.

“It is a great privilege to exhibit my sculpture here in Lagos. It is also the city where I grew between 3 and 17 years. I am very happy to be here and in a public place .. that my sculpture is accessible to all, not only rich people,” he says.

Among the most recognized artists on the British art scene, Yinka Shonibare explores, defies and provokes sometimes even if he admits to being very wise with this sculpture

“The objects in nearly all of his commissioned works in the past 20 years–Scramble for Africa, Trumpet Boy, Butterfly Kid, Adam & Eve, Balloon Man and Magical ladder, to mention just some are dressed in the same fabrics, widely worn in West Africa.

“The sculpture is not cleavage from a political point of view so everyone can appreciate it in public space,” he adds.

The installation event,organized by the British Council in the framework of a cultural exchange aims to pull new curious eyes ,new collaborations and above all -to strengthen relations between the Britain and Nigeria.