Yinka Shonibare MBE's 2012 Exhibition at James Cohan Gallery Explores Colonial History Through Fabric and Performance

Yinka Shonibare MBE presented his exhibition 'Addio del Passato' at James Cohan Gallery in New York City from February 16 to March 24, 2012. The show featured Dutch wax fabrics, which originated from Indonesian batiks and Dutch production but now symbolize African identity, fashioned into period costumes for headless mannequins. These costumes depicted historical figures like Lord Nelson and his wife Fanny, critiquing empire through their representation. Photographs titled 'Fake Death Pictures' reimagined Nelson's death scenes, altering races, genders, and environments to challenge historical narratives. A live actor portrayed Nelson, offering perspectives on his flaws and metaphorical significance. A video piece incorporated an aria from Verdi's opera 'La Traviata', performed by a black singer, intertwining Fanny's story with Violetta's lament about sacrifice. Three table-top objects—the Anti-Hysteria Device, Anti-Masturbation Device, and Fetish Boots—crafted in Victorian industrial style, addressed power relations with comic stealth. The exhibition blended art historical references, including comparisons to Cindy Sherman's work and François-Guillaume Ménageot's paintings, to examine historical moments afresh, though some elements were critiqued for convoluted theatricality.