Hereford Cathedral and Meadow Arts will welcome internationally acclaimed artist Yinka Shonibare to Hereford on Thursday 24 January as he opens his latest exhibition, Creatures of the Mappa Mundi.

Yinka Shonibare, who has recently been awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honour’s List, was a Turner prize nominee in 2004 and created ‘Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle’ for the Fourth plinth at Trafalgar square in 2010 amongst many other notable commissions.

Shonibare will give a talk in the cathedral nave on Thursday 24 January to launch his new artwork, Creatures of the Mappa Mundi. Interviewed by broadcaster and writer Francine Stock, he will discuss the inspiration for this new commission for Meadow Arts which has been inspired by one of Hereford Cathedral’s treasures, the Mappa Mundi.

Inspired by the ‘strange creatures and alien races’ of the famous Medieval world map, the quilt artworks have been made with diverse groups of Herefordshire people including groups from the Courtyard Hereford’s Creative Ageing project; Diploma in Art & Design students from Hereford College of Arts; Rose Tinted Rags and charity for disabled people, Echo; young people from SHYPP (Supported Housing for Young People Project) and Hereford River Carnival.

Creatures of the Mappa Mundi: A talk by artist Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA) interviewed by Francine Stock will take place on Thursday 24 January at 7.45pm. Tickets cost £10, concessions £7.50, and are on sale via the Cathedral Shop (in person, online and by phone on 01432 374210). Please note that concessionary tickets cannot be purchased online. Online tickets incur a charge of £1.50 per ticket. To book tickets please click here.

Creatures of the Mappa Mundi will be on display in the Mappa Mundi & Chained Library Exhibition from Thursday 24 January – Saturday 1 June, normal admission charges apply.

Image: Yinka Shonibare, ‘Creatures of the Mappa Mundi - Alerion / Satirii’ - (sketch), 2018