The exhibition at the Serpentine includes a series of works exploring overarching themes such as identity, migration, displacement, colonial legacies, and power relations. The pictorial quilts interweave his signature Dutch wax prints with images, references, and patterns that reflect upon British and European colonial histories. The African Bird Magic quilt series, for instance, depicts African masks alongside endangered birds of African origin, pointing to the European interest in ‘primitivism’, widely manifested by modernist artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and Modigliani, among others.

The large-scale installation The War Library (2024), part of his Library series, stores over 5,000 books engraved with gold lettering, and their titles refer to various conflicts and peace treaties. The never-ending library draws on an infinite list of world events. Despite their opposing and rival nature, these episodes share the same imperialist roots, revealing the global implications of colonialism. Conversely, Sanctuary City (2024), a collection of 17 miniature replicas of historic buildings, invites audiences to immerse themselves in this semi-dark exhibition space, guided by the subtle lights shining through the small archetypical windows. The scale models of the Amnesty International Headquarters in London, the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, and the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda, provide a contrasting historical record between spaces of shelter, refuge, and violence.

Decolonised Structures (2023) engages with public monuments and recent collective actions against statues of historic figures linked to slavery and colonialism. Instead of removing these monuments from public spaces and institutions, Shonibare once again makes use of his trademark Dutch wax patterns to cover the sculptures, reclaiming their identity and challenging preconceived notions of colonial dominance. ‘I’m changing their character’, the artist explains. ‘I’m making them more beautiful’.

Yinka Shonibare CBE: Suspended States offers a singular visual experience, puncturing the anti-colonial universe thoughtfully created by one of Britain’s most admired contemporary artists, who was recently honoured with a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his distinguished contributions. And yet, while Shonibare’s multi-coloured pieces will always be immediately recognisable, colonial systems are more subtle and elusive than one might grasp, and beautiful textiles sometimes fail to do them justice. Perhaps one of the final rooms of the show, which focuses on the artist’s social projects and initiatives towards local artists and communities in the UK and Nigeria, portrays Shonibare’s leading role in the ongoing process of decolonisation.