Yinka Shonibare: Sanctuary

Yinka Shonibare: Sanctuary presents the U.S. debut of the poignant new installation Sanctuary City (2024) by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA (b. 1962, London, UK). Renowned for his use of Dutch wax fabrics to explore themes of colonialism, cultural hybridity, and migration, Shonibare employs this signature material within Sanctuary City, adorning the illuminated interiors of miniature models of iconic architectural structures. These black-painted models, chosen for their historical and social significance, serve as literal and symbolic sanctuaries for persecuted and displaced communities and individuals across time. By weaving together material and metaphor, Shonibare interrogates the politics of refuge, drawing attention to the complexities of belonging and exclusion in a world shaped by colonial legacies and forced migration.

Tracing the concept of sanctuary from ancient Greek and Edo period temples to medieval churches and modern shelters for refugees, unhoused individuals, and survivors of domestic violence, the installation underscores the shifting and contested nature of safe spaces. Shonibare’s work powerfully exposes the fragility of sanctuary in a time of rising nationalism, border restrictions, and humanitarian crises. In doing so, Sanctuary City asks us to reflect on the moral and political imperatives of protection, posing a poignant question: in an era of escalating displacement, who gets to find safety, and who is left outside?