Style Imitating Art: Leisure Lady (with Ocelots) by Yinka Shonibare & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #277
About Style Imitating Art
Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of MeadowTree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as curator, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the curator by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the curator will share all of the submissions on her blog.
You don’t have to be a blogger to join! You are invited to share your images on Instagram or other social media platforms. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!
The Inspiration Artwork
The inspiration artwork was chosen by Terri. You can read why she picked this work here.
Leisure Lady (with Ocelots) by Yinka Shonibare (Life-size mannequin, three fiberglass ocelots, Dutch wax printed cotton, leather, glass, 2001)
About the Artist: Yinka Shonibare
Yinka Shonibare is a British-Nigerian artist who was born in London, England, on August 9, 1962, to Olatunji and Laide Shonibare. At the age of 3, his family moved to Lagos, Nigeria, where his father practiced law. When he was 17 years old, he returned to England to finish his schooling. A year later he contracted transverse myelitis which is an inflammation of the spinal cord that resulted in paralysis on one side of his body.
Despite this early onset long-term disability, Shonibare went on to study Fine Arts eventually earning his MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London. Post-graduation, he worked as an arts development officer for Shape Arts, which is an organization that promotes making the arts accessible to people with disabilities.
Because of his disability, Shonibare uses assistants to create his artwork under his direction. His artistic work explores cultural identity from the perspective of colonialism and post-colonialism within the contemporary context of globalization. A trademark of his art is the brightly colored African/Dutch wax prints, or Ankara fabrics, that he uses in much of his work. He hand picks the fabrics himself at the Brixton Market in London but he acknowledges that these fabrics are not authentically African and that their unique crossbred cultural background and the fallacy of that signification is what appeals to him.
A significant portion of his work involves the creation of 18th-century European dresses crafted from his handpicked Ankara fabrics. He then covers mannequins and various other sculptures including alien figures in these dresses or he stretches them onto canvases and paints over them. His headless, life sized sculptural figures are meticulously positioned and dressed in vibrant wax cloth patterns in an effort to make history and racial identity complex and difficult to read within his works.
He views culture as an artificial construct and explores cultural issues through a wide range of media which includes painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, film, and performance. One particular focus is his examination of identity construction within the tangled relationship between Africa and Europe and their respective economic and political histories. He has described himself as a post-colonial hybrid as he questions the meaning of cultural and national definitions. Much of his work is inspired by his own life and personal experiences, but he also draws inspiration from around the globe, calling himself a citizen of the world.
Shonibare has won various prestigious art and cultural awards and continues to exhibit his work internationally. His disability has worsened with age which now requires him to use an electric wheelchair. He currently lives in the United Kingdom.
About the Art: Leisure Lady (with Ocelots)
Created in 2001, “Leisure Lady (with Ocelots)” features a life sized headless female fiberglass mannequin donning an 18th century style dress crafted from Shonibare’s hallmark Ankara fabric. She is walking three fiberglass ocelots on leashes attached to very fancy collars. The media included in this work are Dutch wax printed cotton, fiberglass, leather, and glass.
“Leisure Lady (with Ocelots)” was included in a major mid-career survey of Shonibare’s works, titled Mother and Father Worked Hard So I Can Play, which was exhibited in 2009 at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York.
Resources/References:
- Yinka Shonibare: Wikipedia
- African Wax Prints: Wikipedia
- Britannica: Yinka Shonibare
- Royal Academy: Yinka Shonibare
- Art 21: Yinka Shonibare
- Brooklyn Museum: Yinka Shonibare
- Yinka Shonibare Official Website
- Shape Arts: Wikipedia
About My Outfit Inspired by Leisure Lady (with Ocelots)
I was so excited when I first saw this piece for a number of reasons. The overabundance of prints on the dress and the ocelots delivers a powerful visual punch to the face that I quite enjoyed. Then there is the amazing 18th century style which is one of my favorite fashion eras ever. By the way, my favorite fashion eras include, well, all of them.
The fact that this lady of leisure has three pet ocelots that are obediently walking on leashes also really tickles my fancy. And then, of course, the underlying intent of the work that forces us to question historical relationships and intercultural influences between Africa and Europe appeals to my intellectual side. When I view the work from that perspective, I also see a class dichotomy that results in cultural appropriation that is worth examining.
But I will examine that later on my own time and you can do the same. If you feel compelled to discuss the underlying meaning of the work, please start the discussion in the comments.
Now my outfit…I had so much fun putting this together and the end result made me so very happy. Mostly because I didn’t think I could pull this off.
When I first began brainstorming what to wear, I had in mind to focus on the style and colors of the mannequin’s dress and add some hints of leopard. But I could not find anything in my closet that adequately represented the Ankara fabric or the 18th century style of the dress. So I decided instead to style a leopard dress and add elements to it that reflected the African wax print.
I also wanted long layers or tiers to reflect the peplum and train attached to the dress. I pulled out a few dresses that had colors and prints similar to the mannequin’s dress and started layering them together. They were all wrong until I found the right combination in this floral long sleeved maxi dress layered beneath my sleeveless leopard print midi dress. I absolutely love the way these two prints play together.
Green is a dominant color in the artwork and I realized that I only had tiny bits of barely visible green in the floral print so I added green accessories with my tie belt, boots, handbag, and necklace. The outfit was screaming for something else so I decided on my rust beret which is the perfect color to highlight the dress pattern.
I want to highlight that my beaded owl necklace was handmade by Michelle of My Bijou Life and I stupidly did not get a very good close up photo of it. It has green and gold beads with the cutest little owl pendant.
Once again, this series pushed me to try something different with my clothing and I loved the end result. I have so many clothes, why not wear two dresses at once?
Be sure to check out Terri’s interpretation of the artwork as well as Salazar’s take on it. And please visit Terri on Wednesday to see her review post of outfit submissions. If you want to participate, you still have time! Terri needs your photos by Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. EST to be featured in her post.
Featured Favorites
Reader Favorite (Most Clicked): Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style
Fashion Favorite: Kathrine of Kathrine Eldridge
Other Favorite: Cindy of Cindy’s On-Line Recipe Box
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Leopard Dress and Green Tie Belt-Torrid / Floral Dress-Old Navy / Boots-Shoe Dazzle / Hat-Wona Trading / Necklace-handmade by Michelle of My Bijou Life / Bag-c/o Teddy Blake / Earrings-Thrifted
54 Comments
Katie
Love this leopard dress and also the artwork that inspired it! Thanks for the linkup and have a wonderful week!
-Katie
http://www.hellokatiegirlblog.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Katie! I love how this series pushes me to try creative new styling tricks. I hope you are having a fabulous week, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
What a beautiful art work, it speaks to one’s imagination! But I love your dress even better, especially with the green touches! Thank you very much for the feature!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! I was really happy with how this one came together! This series gets me so excited every time. It was my pleasure to feature you, my friend. Have a fabulous week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laurie
Very well done Shelbee. I love the photos of you on the wall xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Laurie! I was really pleased with those photos as well! The background is so lush and green and pretty. I hope you have a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica - Away From The Blue
The two dresses layer so well together and it’s a fun way to incorporate the different prints in the inspiration art too! The green accessories are wonderful 🙂
Thanks for the link up 🙂 Hope you are having a great week!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! This was really fun to put together! These challenges really push me creatively. I hope you have a wonderful day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
Love your take on this art Shelbee! The leopard dress is a brilliant idea and it looks amazing on you. Thanks for the feature and for the link up!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Katherine! I hope you have a lovely day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Johnson
Such a perfect interpretation!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Amy!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
Once again, I am inspired by your creativity!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Michele!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
Loving the leopard print!!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Jennifer! I hope you are having a fabulous week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Pamela Graham
I know very little about art but really enjoy being introduced to something new in this way – this is a genius choice! Really admire your clever print mixing and the bag is proving to be a very versatile choice!
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Pamela, thank you so very much! I don’t know much about art either but this series is definitely helping me to learn more. I am so fascinated by artistic people and what they create and why they create it. I was just thinking yesterday how versatile my new green Teddy Blake bag is. It seems to be working with every outfit I wear lately!
xoxo
Shelbee
Sally in St Paul
Stupendous interpretation, I love it!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Sally, thanks so much! I was really happy with the result of this one! I can’t wait to go check out everybody else’s interpretations!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lizzie
I love this series!! You always hit it out of the park with these outfits! I can definitey see the inspiration but this outfit is still perfectly “Shelbee.” Great styling, as always!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Lizzie, thanks so much! I really appreciate that. I have so much fun with these art challenges but I do like to put my Shelbee stamp on things!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
Love everything about this post! Thanks so much for introducing me to this incredibly talented and creative artst- fascinating! And about the outfit- well! I’m all over tis look- especially all the layering- it’s fabulous! I also love that yoiu paired it with Michelle’s necklace- the perfect touch!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Lucy, thanks so much! I was so fascinated and inspired by this artist and his works. And I love everything about this particular art installation. I was super happy with the end result of my outfit, too!
xoxo
Shelbee
Ellie
Fabulous look inspired by that beautiful piece of art! Love how the belt matches the colors of your boots so well! And the brown berret looks fantastic. I’ve been drawn to the color brown recently! Really beautiful surroundings too!
Thanks for hosting the linkup, I finally managed to join in again!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Ellie! I had a lot of fun pulling this look together to represent the artwork! I go in phases with the color brown, but when I find the right shade, I do love it! I hope you are well and thriving, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Christina Morley
Wow! You did a great job matching a difficult piece. And that art is amazing! I loved reading about the artist and I’m so glad to know that he could continue doing art with the help of others.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tina! I was really fascinated and inspired by this work and the artist’s story as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Rena
Shelbee, your cleverness and creativity know no bounds. It was brilliant of you to layer two dresses as the result is fabulous.
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, Rena, thanks so much! I was so happy with how this all came together! I need to layer more dresses, I think! I mean, I do have enough of them to wear two at a time and never run out of dresses!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
What a fun take on the originial art work! I love those accents of green.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Joanne! This was a lot of fun!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Although the Leisure Lady’s feet are not visible (at least in the photo), I think she would be wearing green boots like yours! I like how the leopard print in your dress echoes the beautiful markings on the fiberglass ocelots.
Thanks for hosting the link-up.
Thank you for participating in Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 20.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Carol, thanks so much! I was wondering what kind of shoes the leisure lady might be wearing! Her green boots might be more in the style of 18th century footwear, but I bet they are green! Actually, I wonder if the artist puts shoes on his mannequins when their feet aren’t visible. Hmmmm…I am going to have to look into this! I hope you have a beautiful day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Cheryl Shops
This might be one of my favorites in this series yet—your leopard-print dress is absolutely fab, and I love how you’ve captured the fierce vibes of the artwork!
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I think it might be one of my favorites now, too!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
I have to admit I didn’t participate in this one. I have exactly two cheetah/leopard/ocelot print tops and couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out what to do with them that would do justice to this art work. You, however, nailed it to the ground, danced around it in celebration, un-nailed it and celebrated some more!! When I saw the first picture, I thought, “Yes, yes, yes!!!!” It was the floral dress that was throwing me off and you did the thing!!!
As for the artwork…it made me uncomfortable because it showed the ocelots being brought under the control of a headless woman. Does the headless woman represent the thoughlessness of the ravages of colonialism? Or, is the it the notion that women of that era were thought to be less than? And, then the ocelots…do they represent those that were colonized? I think art exists for this very reason…just as literature, music, and other media do…to make us uncomfortable and question why and what. Such a powerful piece of art…
Thanks for the link party, too!!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my goodness, Marsha, thank you so much for this beautiful comment! I chuckled at the beginning part. I really had a great time putting this outfit together and was so happy with the end result. As for the art, it didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at first glance but upon further research it definitely started to change meaning. I was kind of viewing it almost as a statement about classism. The woman appears to be from the wealthy class and the fact that she has pet ocelots on leashes with diamond collars indicates to me a certain snobbish entitlement. Like the rich can appropriate the style and dress of whomever they choose and they can domesticate whatever wild animals they choose as well. While a pet ocelot might be kind of cool, I don’t know that it necessarily the best life for an ocelot! Apparently, the illegal pet trade in ocelots is a thriving business which threatens the safety of the entire species. I hope you have a fabulous day, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Suzy Turner
OMG Shelbee, I adore this look!!! I, too, was excited to see the chosen artwork this week, but I just didn’t have the time to do anything, because of our trip. And I’m going to be crazy busy over the next few weeks, because we’re moving house (moving into a rental next door while we build the new house, which is also next door lol). But I’m hoping I might still manage to squeeze in some photoshoots!
Big hugs
Suzy xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Suzy! I had a lot of fun putting this one together! It sounds like a super crazy time for you. Moving is such a giant hassle even if it is only just next door! I hope the transition goes quickly and smoothly for you, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Maureen
What a fun interpretation! Your leopard dress is beautiful and I love the touches of green. It really brings the outfit to life!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Maureen! I was really happy with the outcome of this challenge!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Very nice and looking just like the artwork. Perfect job there. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! I hope your week is going well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura Bambrick
You created the perfect outfit! I love how inspired you were when creating this outfit. It’s such a fun piece to use!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Laura! I was definitely getting more creative than usual for this one! I loved the end result.
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I love this outfit! It’s just beautiful and so full of interest with the layered dresses. It tickles me that you were able to pull in all of the colors in the artwork. And I love that the little owl necklace made an appearance as well. Well done!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Michelle! And thank you for my little owl necklace! I had nothing with ocelots or big cats on it so I figured if I kept my jewelry in the “animal” family it would work! Haha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
I absolutely adore your outfit and the artwork that inspired it! I’m a huge fan of animal prints!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Emma! I was super happy with this outfit! Animal prints are so great for a cool print mix, too.
xoxo
Shelbee
jess jannenga
Fabulous recreation! YOu mean you couldn’t find a leopard for your shoot? LOL. Ilove how you incorporated the print with your dress! Love the green and rust touches too!
thanks fo rlinking!
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jess, thanks so much! I thought about putting my cats on leashes but they would never tolerate it!
xoxo
Shelbee
chickenruby
I’m loving the colour pop bag showing up again. What a fab animal print dress, the sleves are really pretty. Thanks for joining in with #pocolo
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Suzanne! I have been carrying this green bag daily so it keeps showing up! Haha.
xoxo
Shelbee