Berkshire

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham" class="wp-image-74389" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi-300x400.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/9_Shonibare-studio_Leon-Foggitt-2022_hi-1152x1536.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">© Yinka Shonibare CBE Studio, London. Photo: Leon Foggitt, 2022</figcaption></figure>



A rare chance to catch a Turner Prize nominees&#8217; work right here in Berkshire? Right this way, ma lady. Yinka Shonibare CBE&#8217;s <a href="https://thebasegreenham.co.uk/event/yinka-shonibare-ritual-ecstasy-of-the-modern?e=147349?&amp;c=148695" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ritual Ecstasy of the Modern</a> is pitching up at The Base in Greenham until Sun 23 Feb, on loan from Cristea Roberts Gallery London and showcasing the artist&#8217;s evolving printmaking practice over the past seven years. Central themes in his work explore race, class, and constructions of cultural identity with his pieces having exhibited in some of the most notable collections internationally. Alongside the exhibition, don&#8217;t miss art critic and broadcaster&nbsp;<a href="https://thebasegreenham.co.uk/event/charlotte-mullins-exploring-yinka-shonibare-cbe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Charlotte Mullins</a>&#8216; special talk on&nbsp;13 Feb&nbsp;which provides fascinating insight into Shonibare’s printmaking practice.



In case you&#8217;re not familiar with Yinka&#8217;s work, let me get you up to speed. Born in London, he moved to Lagos, Nigeria aged three before returning to the UK to study fine art. While initially training as a painter, Yinka eventually switched over to sculpture which secured him his Turner Prize nomination back in 2004. Impressive? Yes, it is. But even more so when considering the artist is in fact paralysed down one side of his body following an illness in early adulthood. Safe to say, Yinka is a force to be reckoned with.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-expect">WHAT TO EXPECT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham art exhibitions near me" class="wp-image-75577" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-95-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Holly Bobbins</figcaption></figure>



Make like a kid in a candy shop and enjoy a pick &#8216;n&#8217; mix of prints that will blow your arty socks off. From the moment you walk in, it&#8217;s a spectacle of colour and texture, with the layout of the space taking the viewer on a journey through Yinka Shonibare&#8217;s earliest works to his most recent. It&#8217;s clear to see the development of his approach over time, each piece speaking to joy and identity in a profoundly modern way. African culture within the context of Western modernism is a particular influence in his work created from his East London studio, as is exploring the significance of his multicultural identity.



As you drift around the walls, you&#8217;ll encounter a number of salient subject matters at play &#8211; from the election of Donald Trump to the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. In fact, the latter was a project born from a rejected commission and deemed too controversial.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham" class="wp-image-75571" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-9-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Holly Bobbins</figcaption></figure>



Take it sloooow. No matter where your eye lands, you notice new details tucked away in the tiniest corners of his work. It&#8217;s fascinating to see up close the traditional techniques he employs. A consistent thread throughout is the use of batik fabric &#8211; a fabric with a complex, multi-cultural history and strong ties to colonialism. The dyed material has such a fabulous vivacity that you can&#8217;t help being drawn to like a moth to a flame and adds a real depth to the pieces.



Similarly, the fiddly use of woodblock printing is a favourite of Yinka&#8217;s &#8211; a technique where designs are carved in reverse into a block of wood before the image is inked and printed onto cloth, paper, or quite frankly whatever he fancies. Don&#8217;t even get me started on his jigsaw woodcut technique where printed wood is cut up into puzzle-like shapes before being inked, reassembled, and popped through a printing press. Makes my head hurt just thinking about it. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham" class="wp-image-75573" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-41-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Holly Bobbins</figcaption></figure>



Of course, art like this will always be timelessness. But what I was totally surprised about was just how bang on trend the prints were. They are zesty, fun, and honestly, wouldn&#8217;t look out of place in your local Oliver Bonas. I can already see the Insta crowd hankering to get their paws on the prize. 



For me, I was totally obsessed with the Cowboy Angels collection. Admittedly, Beyoncé&#8217;s Cowboy Carter may be sligggghtly to blame, but I can&#8217;t deny my cowgirl era is in full force right now. In fact, the collection was actually the artist&#8217;s first substantial print project, concealing the &#8216;heroic&#8217; symbol of the all-American cowboy within a series of African masks. Like all Yinka&#8217;s work, the collection is fizzing with meaning, reflecting our tangled cultural relationships and shifting political identities. It&#8217;s art that speaks to the human experience, highlighting issues that are prevalent in today&#8217;s society more than ever.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham" class="wp-image-75575" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-73-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Holly Bobbins</figcaption></figure>



Planning to bring the kids along? Please do. A small but mighty arts and crafts area is located at the centre of the exhibition, perfect for a half term pick me up. There&#8217;s colouring, plus the chance to try your hand at some wood rubbing. Or if you fancy it, kick back in the sinky chairs and have a flick through the different art books scattered around. On Thu 20 Feb, there will be a special <a href="https://thebasegreenham.co.uk/about/news/2025/family-day-at-the-base" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Family Day</a> with art trails and various arty activities so well worth popping in the diary too.



Nearby, there&#8217;s also a big screen showing a film about the complexity of Yinka&#8217;s art production &#8211; something that requires a whole team of ridiculously talented individuals. If you want to hear from the man of the hour himself, grab a headset on the wall and listen to a podcast featuring Yinka where he discusses his artistic process and influences. It&#8217;s a fantastic insight into the mind behind it all and helped me understand his art on a much deeper level.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham" class="wp-image-75572" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/the-base-Yinka-39-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Holly Bobbins</figcaption></figure>



Let&#8217;s be real, there&#8217;s few things more relaxing than a saunter around beautiful pieces of art. And the space at The Base Greenham is no exception. It&#8217;s a real place of calm and quiet where you&#8217;re invited to take an hour out of your busy life and be totally present. Yinka Shonibare&#8217;s work quite simply sucks you in. It&#8217;s unique, vibrant, and immersive. By the end of my wander, all I was left thinking was how I could possibly sneak out with one of the prints tucked under my coat. Surely no one would notice&#8230; After you&#8217;re done, there&#8217;s also the Honesty Café next door to grab a coffee and a cake too. Winning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi.jpg" alt="Yinka Shonibare exhibition base greenham art exhibitions near me" class="wp-image-75509" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/10_Yinka_Tom-Jamieson_2023_hi-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">©&nbsp;Yinka&nbsp;Shonibare CBE Studio, London. Photo: Tom Jamieson, 2023</figcaption></figure>



You&#8217;d be crazy to miss this rare opportunity to view the work of such a revered artist right here in the home county. The Yinka Shonibare exhibition is a total breath of fresh air and well worth the trip out, if only for a slice of screen-free &#8216;me&#8217; time in this little pocket of calm. It&#8217;s well put together and the artwork is utterly breathtaking. Although, you must be warned: don&#8217;t blame me when you start fully considering taking out an extra mortgage to hang a piece of Yinka&#8217;s work on your mantel. Much safer ogling the wares at The Base Greenham while you can if you ask me.



The damage: full price tickets are £8.25, concessions £7.25, students £5, and under 12s go free. If you&#8217;re a Base Pass Holder, it won&#8217;t cost you a penny.



<a href="https://thebasegreenham.co.uk/event/yinka-shonibare-ritual-ecstasy-of-the-modern?e=147349?&amp;c=148695" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yinka Shonibare CBE: Ritual Ecstacy of the Modern</a> is on at The Base Greenham until 23 Feb. Book your tickets <a href="https://thebasegreenham.co.uk/event/yinka-shonibare-ritual-ecstasy-of-the-modern?e=147349?&amp;c=148695" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

Muddy ogles the new Yinka Shonibare exhibition at The Base Greenham

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