The artwork, titled “BOY ON GLOBE,” was created by Yinka Shonibare in 2014. It falls within the movements of contemporary art and postcolonial art, and is classified in the genre of sculpture.
The sculpture depicts a headless boy balancing on a large globe, which serves as the base of the piece. The boy is dressed in a vividly colored ensemble, combining traditional African prints with Western clothing styles. The dynamic positioning of the boy, with one leg raised as if in mid-step and arms extended for balance, evokes a sense of precariousness and movement. The globe below showcases a patterned representation of the earth’s continents, rendered in warm hues. The boy’s outfit, an eclectic fusion of cultures, symbolizes the interplay and balance between different cultural identities, a prevalent theme in Shonibare’s work.
