Yinka Shonibare: Sanctuary
The Rose Art Museum presents the United States debut of Yinka Shonibare's Sanctuary City (2024), an installation of 18 scaled-down replicas of historical and contemporary buildings that have been, or are still, considered places of refuge for persecuted and vulnerable groups and individuals. It highlights the basic human need for safety and shelter over centuries of human history, and the pressing need to address this issue in the current moment. Shonibare describes shelter as “one of the most pressing political concerns right now.”
The work presents structures from across time and territory, including ancient Greek temples, the Buddhist temples of Edo Japan, medieval European churches and modern schools and shelters. Each structure and its history are documented in detail in extended labels. Human beings from all walks of life found refuge in these historical buildings: slaves, refugees, persecuted religious sects, unhoused families and individuals, victims of sex trafficking, domestic violence survivors, and many others.
The replicated buildings are displayed within a dark gallery, with light emanating from within each structure, with Shonibare’s signature patterned Dutch fabric decorating the interior. The entire gallery is thus transformed into an unlit space with sanctuary havens appearing like beacons of light and hope.
