Shonibare's work often features African wax print fabric, which he uses as a symbol of both African identity and the legacy of colonialism. His sculptures, installations, and paintings often explore the intersections of race, class, and gender, and challenge viewers to rethink their assumptions about identity and power. Some of his most well-known works include "Nelson's Ship in a Bottle," which was displayed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in London in 2010, and "The Swing (after Fragonard)," a sculpture of a headless woman on a swing that references the French Rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard.

Shonibare's work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. He has also been awarded numerous prizes and awards for his work, including an MBE in 2004 and an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London in 2010.