Yinka Shonibare CBE's 'Material (SG) II' to be unveiled in Florida
'Material (SG) II', by Yinka Shonibare CBE, which forms part of the artist’s 'Wind Sculpture' series, will be unveiled in 2021 at the outdoor plaza at the new office building, 360 Rosemary. The sculpture was commissioned in collaboration with Related Companies, The West Palm Beach Art in Public Places (AiPP) Program and city of West Palm Beach. “My work is about celebrating the diversity of communities and highlighting our connections,” Shonibare said. “I do not ever underestimate the importance of public access to such basic principles of inclusion.”
Gopal Rajegowda, senior vice president, Related Companies said, “Related Southeast is deeply committed to supporting diverse artistic voices and incorporating unique cultural and global viewpoints into our acclaimed public art collection. With Shonibare’s work, we are now expanding this mission to the north end of the Rosemary Square district at 360 Rosemary. We are proud of the private and public partnership with the city of West Palm Beach that allowed us to bring such a distinguished artist to our dynamic neighborhood.”
This monumental work will stand 20 feet tall and capture the movement of wind passing through fabric, with the sculpture’s deeply rippled surface resembling a ship’s sail billowing in the breeze. The fluid and graceful forms are taken from photographs of wind being blown into the actual batik fabrics. This process poetically echoes the organic concave and convex shapes created in nature. Made from industrial materials usually used in the construction of buildings, the series plays with the idea of capturing the volume of wind. “I wanted to defy gravity. To do something that actually looks soft, but it's made out of hard materials, like fiberglass and metal,” says Shonibare.
Works from the 'Wind Sculpture' series are now exhibited around the world, from the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., to the Ndubuisi Kanu Park in Lagos.
