VBMA's Athena Society Acquires a Stunning Sculpture by Yinka Shonibare
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At its annual dinner on Thursday, April 16, Vero Beach Museum of Art Athena Society Members voted to acquire Wind Sculpture in Bronze VI, 2025, by Yinka Shonibare, CBE (British Nigerian, b. 1962). The hand-painted bronze statue, standing 78 ¾ x 59 x 54 inches, is unique in a series of nine. Its significance is underscored by the recent acquisition of another example from this series by the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Courtyard at the Museum of Modern Art.
Yinka Shonibare, CBE, grew up between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, an experience that continues to shape his exploration of migration and cultural exchange. As a child, he moved with his family to Lagos, but the artist later returned to London to study art. During his studies, a tutor prompted Shonibare to critically examine ideas of authenticity and multiculturalism in his art. The bronze Wind Sculpture continues this exploration, drawing on the form of ship sails that enabled imperial expansion and global trade.
The artist abstracts the sail motif and incorporates the bright patterns of Dutch wax fabric—a material often associated with West Africa despite its origins in Indonesian batik and its manufacture by the Dutch—transforming it into a dynamic, flowing form.
“Shonibare has described his aim in this series as ‘sculpting empty space,’ producing forms that appear weightless despite being cast in bronze,” explains VBMA Chief Curator Caitlin Swindell. “Resembling sails billowing in the wind and rendered in the bright, colorful patterns characteristic of Dutch wax fabric, the work conveys both movement and fragility.
“One of nine individually hand-painted examples of this particular shape, it features a pronounced plant motif, making it especially well-suited for permanent display in an outdoor sculpture park setting. The sculpture will have a prominent position in the courtyard of our new building, opening in 2028,” Swindell continues.
Vero Beach Museum of Art is located at 3001 Riverside Park Drive in Vero Beach, FL 32963
Visit www.vbmuseum.org or call 772.231.0707 for more information.