His work has been widely exhibited and collected, including by prestigious institutions such as the Tate, Victoria and Albert Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, MoMA, the National Gallery of Canada, among others. He is known for works that incorporate unique patterns based on Dutch wax textiles. Originally designed by the Dutch as an attempt to imitate Indonesian-style batiks, these factory-printed textiles were sold into the African markets where they have become synonymous with African identity – to the extent that many (falsely) believe they originated on the continent. In Shonibare’s sculptures, videos, and photographs, the Dutch wax textiles symbolize colonialism, migration, connections, and global trade, while interrogating ideas around authenticity and cultural identity. Shonibare has indicated that through his work he is also attempting "to grasp living with more than one culture in my head."
Shonibare contracted transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord, at the age of 18, which resulted in a long-term physical disability where one side of his body is paralyzed. His disability has increased with age; as his mobility has become further restricted with time, he has begun to use an Electric wheelchair.