El Anatsui
EL ANATSUI "BLACK AND SILVER" 2018
El Anatsui (b. 1944) is an acclaimed Ghanian sculptor working out of Nigeria. Known for his large-scale tapestry-like metallic sculptures created from discarded resources, Anatsui draws meaningful connections between consumption, waste, and the environment. The artist is equally interested in decoration, through reuse, transformation, and a desire to connect to his continent and community throughout his practice.
Born in Anyako, Ghana, Anatsui is the son of a master weaver of Kente cloth. He trained at Kwame Nkrumah University in Kumsai, and taught as a Professor of Sculpture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for four decades. During his time at UNN, Anatsui began incorporating southeastern Nigerian symbolism into his work, alongside his pre-existing indigenous Akinkra and Ghanian motifs, ideologies, and symbolism. Shortly after this creatvie evolution, he became associated with the Nsukka Group--a collective united by the goal of revitalizing the practice of Uli (a traditional southeastern Nigerian art form characterized by abstract designs inspired by natural forms) and incorporate its motifs into contemporary art.
Evoking political, historical, and visual references, Anatsui invites his viewers to engage with work that exists on its own terms. His fluid compositions take on different forms with each installation, responding directly to their environments and challenging long-held views on the parameters of sculpture. While they look like lusciously draped fabric from afar, the installations are made from sourced metal and carry weight both literally and figuratively.
Aluminum bottle caps are a key material for the artist, as he admires their versatility in form and colour, and their direct reference to modern society through their apparent branding. He explains, "The most important thing for me is the transformation. The fact that these ...each identifying a brand of drink, are no longer going back to serve the same role but are elements that could generate some reflection, some thinking, or just some wonder. This is possible because they are removed from their accustomed, functional context into a new one, and they bring along their histories and identities."
"Black and Silver" combines printmaking and collage to create a dazzling composition of clustered geometric fragments. To make this project, Anatsui collected, shaped, and combined aluminum bottle caps, anchoring them to a printed image of the same material and process. This technique invites a close inspection from viewers, as their first impression will not be complete; Only upon closer inspection are they rewarded with the dimensionality of the work, an intimate exchange between the artist and his audience.
Anatsui's work thrives with active audience participation, whether walking among his pieces or thinking about their place in the world in conjunction with the issues he highlights. Much of Anatsui's work is colossal in scale, so this piece offers a rare opportunity to display his meaningful artwork in an intimate setting.
His work can be found amongst some of the most prestigious art collections globally, including the MET and the MOMA in New York, the Smithsonian in Washington, the Pompidou in Paris, and the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi among others. In 2023, Anatsui was awarded the reputable Hyundai Commission by the Tate Modern in London, and he created a breathtaking installation in the Turbine Hall of the museum. He was included in the 2023 Time's 100 list of the world's most influential people.
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"Black and Silver"
2018
Inkjet pigment print with irregular hand-cut edges conforming to the image, printed and hand-cut and hand-sculpted aluminum collage, copper wire
From an edition of 30
21.5"H 28"W (work, approximately)
32.5"H 38.5"W (framed)
Publisher: Benefit Print Project
Very good condition
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