Photos By Gail
Yinka Shonibare’s surreal and visually unforgettable sculpture Headless Man Trying to Drink (2005) brings together biting social commentary, clever visual humor, and a rich exploration of post-colonial identity — all in one absurdly tragicomic gesture.
Crafted from fiberglass and wood, with clothing made from the artist’s signature Dutch wax-printed cotton, the life-sized headless figure leans forward, mouthlessly attempting to drink from a stylized water pump and fountain made of polymer-gypsum. Of course, without a head, this feat is impossible — which is exactly the point.
Shonibare is known for using Victorian-era costuming (reimagined in “African” fabrics) and decapitated mannequins to interrogate colonial legacies and the construction of identity. Here, the artist’s message is painfully clear: even when access appears available —represented by the public fountain — some people are structurally prevented from benefiting. The headless man becomes a metaphor for the countless individuals around the world who are denied access to essential resources, such as potable water, due to political or systemic inequality.
There’s a dark wit in the work’s setup that borders on slapstick, but the absurdity is quickly overtaken by deeper questions. Who gets to survive? Who is seen as fully human? And how are global histories of power and control woven — literally — into the fabrics we wear and the systems we live under?
Shonibare’s use of Dutch wax print fabric is also significant. Though commonly associated with African identity, this brightly patterned cloth is actually a product of globalization, originally manufactured in Europe and based on Indonesian batik techniques. Its hybridity mirrors the artist’s interest in the ways culture, commerce, and colonization intersect.
Headless Man Trying to Drink is on view at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) as part of Imagining Black Diasporas, a must-see group exhibition that runs through August 3, 2025. The show brings together over 60 artists working across disciplines to explore the global scope and imaginative depth of the African diaspora.
Whether you’re drawn in by its humor, craftsmanship, or deeply layered meaning, this piece is a standout — and a powerful reminder that some of the most urgent issues of our time are best addressed through the universal language of art.