Jeffreys+final+installation

Materiality and Production
Image 1, "The Swing"(after Fragonard), is a recreation of Jean-Honore Fragonard's eighteenth century painting. It was made with an added twist of the headless character being dressed with the Batik fabric. Because of Yinka Shonibare's paralyzation on one side of his body, he has appointed professionals to whom he can delegate his priorities. To help him with this project, he hired professional costumers and photographers to stage and execute this work. In a similar fashion, Shonibare was assisted by professionals to complete image 2. The two life-size fiberglass mannequins pose in the work entitled "How To Blow Up Two Heads at Once."

**Presentation and Market Value** The artist had a major retrospective opening in 2008 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. While he is represented by Stephen Friedman Gallery in London, Shonibare's work is displayed in the James Cohan Gallery in New York. Also, in 2004 Shonibare was nominated for the Turner Prize. Mostly associated with conceptual art, the Turner Prize organized by the Tate Gallery in Britain and is presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Since 1984, the Turner Prize has become the United Kingdom's most publicized art award. In all, the artist's work is displayed and recognized around the world. It is not graffiti art, however it is still conceptual and innovative. I think that there is a relationship between market value and production skills. In addition, the production skills that relate are those of a more mental and intellectual nature rather than a physical one.

**Visual Grammar** The visual grammar of Shonibare's work is particularly appealing to me because of it's combination of various hues that otherwise would not complement each other. His use of the Batik fabric against English styles of dress express the modality of his work. He causes his viewers to rethink what we "know" about set signs in the world. For instance, many people would look at his work and conclude that it is a representation of people in English attire are wearing an African fabric while conveying the artist's conception of the two cultures. In actuality, the fabric was originally produced by the Dutch and then subsequently the English. Essentially, his work brings to the forefront the issues of authenticity, origin, and power.

**Theory / Meaning** According to aesthetic value and market value, I believe that Shonibare's work is Art. The purpose of his work is to challenge these set notions of authenticity, origin, and power. Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. The value of his works are given support form the museums and galleries in which his work is displayed. Anyone can relate to the works' notions of power and origin. The work is very personal to the artist who is declares himself to be bi-cultural. He uses his own personal experiences and struggle with race, origin, and power. This personal approach makes his work that much more artistic and that much more valuable.