HIBISCUS RISING - A SCULPTURE FOR LEEDS.

As part of the LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture, fellow creative Ali Lycett and I were commissioned to produce a short film spotlighting Hibiscus Rising—a powerful new public artwork by Yinka Shonibare CBE RA.

The film centres on an interview with Shonibare, who shares the inspiration behind his striking 10-metre-tall sculpture, now standing proudly in the heart of Leeds. Taking the form of a giant hibiscus flower, the piece is adorned with his signature African-inspired batik patterns and was created to honour the memory of David Oluwale—a British-Nigerian man who tragically drowned in the River Aire in 1969 following sustained police harassment.

To reflect the vibrancy and symbolism of the sculpture, I brought Shonibare’s iconic textile motifs to life through animated pattern work, weaving them throughout the film to echo the spirit of the piece and its message of remembrance, cultural acceptance, and hope.

Client: Leeds 2023 Year of Culture and David Oluwale Memorial Foundation

Producer/Director: Ali Lycett

Director/Designer/Animator: Jeannine Mellonby

Editor: Lauren Dowling and Ali Lycett

Camera: Tom Diffenthal