"I am very interested in the politics of representation as opposed to the representation of politics. I hope that by examining the origins of a nationalist icon I can begin to expose the process of stereotyping, which inevitably leads to the most inhuman atrocities. The politics of representation are not to be taken lightly. You must not infer from this that I do not like or understand the emancipatory or symbolic notion of African fabric. The contrary is true."
--Yinka Shonibare, 2001