Stanford University
Exhibition

Yinka Shonibare CBE, RA: The American Library

June 2, 2021–June 4, 2023

In-gallery view of Yinka Shonibare's "The American Library" at the Cantor

In-gallery view of The American Library, 2018, by Yinka Shonibare, CBE, RA, at the Cantor Arts Center. Photograph by Johnna Arnold. On loan from the Rennie Collection, Vancouver.

Geballe Family Balcony (208)


An imaginative portrait of a nation, The American Library explores how ideas of citizenship, home, and nationalism acquire complex meanings. The work consists of six thousand books wrapped in Dutch wax-print fabric and embossed with the names of immigrants and migrants who have made a significant impact on American culture.

 

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An introductory text
Join
A yellow circle with the question "What is your family's migration story?"
Learn
A yellow circle with the question "what do you know about the individuals in this library?"
Virtual tour of Yinka Shonibare's "The American Library" exhibition at the Cantor

Virtual Tour

Click below to explore a virtual tour of Yinka Shonibare's The American Library, as displayed during the exhibition When Home Won’t Let You Stay: Migration through Contemporary Art, on display at the Cantor in 2021.

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