Yinka Shonibare. ‘Scramble for Africa’ 2003
“Scramble for Africa is a pivotal work for Shonibare in its exploration of late Victorian England and its territorial expansion into Africa during the 1880s. The “scramble” for Africa by leading European and world powers resulted in the carving up of the continent, an act that was formalized at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85. Shonibare’s work depicts this historic gathering, showing various statesmen huddled around a table with a large map of Africa, eagerly staking their claims. In Shonibare’s interpretation, the heads of state are characteristically headless–and equally mindless in their hunger for what Belgian King Leopold II called “a slice of this magnificent cake.”
Mirzoeff references the artwork in his chapter “The World of War”. In 1885, at the Burlin Conference, “At this event, the rulers of Europe took out a map of Africa and calmly divided it among themselves. The resulting division of the continent into colonies had disastrous consequences that continue to this day.” (Mirzoeff 146) The British-Nigerian artist shows a time when Africa was seen and unused space by Europeans, this so how politics and power divided up a country to those who it did not belong to.
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"In his use of wax prints, he shows us that colonization was not a simple divide-and-rule, as the colonizers liked to think, but a pattern of global histories." Mirzoeff
"The headless leaders cannot claim ‘vision’ or the ability to visualize, although they have divided the map of Africa which is inlaid into the table."
"More striking still are the dazzling multi-coloured fabrics being worn by the figures. These are known as Dutch wax prints, often thought of as being typically ‘African’ fabrics, but are in fact the product of a far-reaching colonial history. The motifs and designs on the cloth were originally created in Indonesia, where they were known as batik. When the Dutch became the colonial power, they took these designs home and industrialized their production. In the nineteenth century, these patterns became very popular in West Africa"
‘Where are the heads of state?’
The Image shows a group of headless leaders, dividing up the map of Africa
The land, (Africa) was seen as ‘empty land’, ‘land belonging to no one’.
"the rulers of Europe took out a map of Africa and calmly divided it among themselves. The resulting division of the continent into colonies had disastrous consequences that continue to this day. " Mirzoeff
Leaders took it upon themselves to take control of another country, as the extra land would be useful to build their political standings and give them an advantage in war.
"mapping as a form of war reached a peak in the annals of ‘politics by other means’." Mirzoeff