A British-Nigerian artist living in London, Shonibare MBE often incorporates African batik fabric into his work. When invited to make jewellery in 2010 by Louisa Guinness Gallery, he had just completed the sculpture for the 'fourth plinth’ on Trafalgar Square, London. Shonibare was the frist artist chosen to reflect specifcally on the historical symbolism of Trafalgar Square, which commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, and to link his work directly to Nelson’s Column. His large-scale sculpture, Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, featured a scale replica of HMS Victory in a giant bottle. The next challenge came when Shonibare decided to reduce this even further to make a pendant.
The sails, on both sculpture and pendant, were made from African batik material, its rich pattern symbolic of African identity and independence. The challenge of enclosing the ship inside the bottle was overcome, and a mini pedestal was created for the bottle and ship to rest on while not being worn. A silver chain was attached and – with a nod to the ocean – a clasp in the form of an anchor completed the circle.