The Swing (after Fragonard)

Yinka Shonibare by MBE. 2001 C.E. Mixed-media installation

Curator Note

"A 3D recreation of Fragonard’s Rococo painting "The Swing," but headless and dressed in "African" Dutch wax fabric. Shonibare, a British-Nigerian artist, uses the headless mannequin to evoke the French Revolution (guillotine) and the mindless indulgence of the aristocracy. The fabric, assumed to be African, is actually a product of Dutch colonialism, highlighting the complexity of global trade and identity."

Form

Three-dimensional installation mimicking the composition of the famous painting.
Life-sized headless mannequin on a swing suspended from the ceiling.
Mannequin dressed in Dutch wax printed cotton textile.
Surrounded by artificial foliage to recreate the garden setting.
Dynamic pose: shoe flying off in mid-air.

Function

To explore the complex origins of "African" identity and globalization.
To critique class hierarchy and the leisure of the wealthy.
To connect the excess of the Rococo period with modern inequality.
To question the authenticity of cultural symbols (the fabric).
To humorously decapitate the history of Western art.

Content

Dutch wax fabric: Indonesian batik design, made in Holland, sold to West Africa.
Headlessness: reference to the French Revolution beheading the aristocracy.
The Swing: symbol of frivolous erotica and aristocratic privilege.
The "African" dress on a European figure subverts expectations.
A warning about the sustainability of extreme wealth/indulgence.

Context

Shonibare calls himself a "post-colonial hybrid" (British-Nigerian).
Dutch wax fabric is a central motif in his work, representing colonial trade routes.
Fragonard’s original painting (1767) is an icon of the Ancien Régime.
Works addresses race, class, and the legacy of imperialism.
Uses "MBE" (Member of the British Empire) ironically in his name.

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