El Anatsui

Hey guys, I want to introduce to you a very talented artist. His name is El Anatsui he is from Anyako, Ghana. His work is simply spectacular. His work has been exhibited in many worthy galleries across the world; Brazil, Japan, Germany, England, South Africa, the United States and many more. I just discovered who he is, and I'm sure there are some people out there who don’t know who he is.

So this is El Anatsui a contemporary artist. Although he has worked with a variety of mixed media for example; wood, clay, ceramic, he is well known for his cloth series. In recent years his cloth tapestries made from thousands of aluminum liquor bottle caps have become celebrated worldwide. In Nigeria the local distilleries recycle each other's bottles, the screw caps associated with each brand are discarded in the process. Anatsui collects them and other metals and materials to create his cloths. Through a time consuming process he transforms the different materials by sewing them together with copper wire into a cloth installation. He believes that metals have been stereotyped as a very stiff and rigid medium that is difficult to work with. His goal is to produce art and show the world; that metals can be soft, flexible and easy to stack, hang or pile.

Art grows out of each particular situation, and I believe that artists are better off working with whatever their environment throws up. - El Anatsui, 2003

This is just one example of his breathtaking work, titled 'Duvor (communal cloth)'. Made of of Aluminum and copper wire in 2007, it's dimensions are are Height: 400cm Width: 500cm.

In his career, Anatsui has explored the significance of the materials that surround us in daily life. Liquor bottle cap could be used as a symbol, not only for their shiny appearance, but also to remind us of the history of liquor. Europeans had once exchanged liquor as a product in exchange for slaves along the West African coast.
I have talked a lot about Anatsui's work with his cloth installations. I would like to show you a piece done by him that is 3-dimensional. Entitled Coal Pot this sculpture consists of a 15-foot iron cauldron filled with large pieces of Kentucky coal. The coal will, disintegrate over several years. As in many of his sculptures, the theme of transience is demonstrated by the choice of natural, decomposing materials. In Ghana, coal plays an essential part in the everyday culture: as a source of heat for cooking and a valuable natural resource. Coal Pot, connects African culture with the economy of Kentucky, where coal is also an important resource. This artwork was Anatsui’s way of bringing the two cultures together.

So now that you know a little about him I have some exciting news!
He will be working with the Royal Ontario Museum on a project about walls and barriers. Selected schools will also participate in this event. My school(Lakeshore Collegiate)will be taking part and I’m very excited! Personally his work boggles my mind it is just amazing. I think it is wonderful that he uses the materials in his surrounding and transforms them into masterpieces! I'm so awed by the amount of detail shown in his work. It's also very interesting to learn the history behind his pieces. The true beauty of his work is how he alters these hard, rough materials into flowing soft pieces. If there is something to learn from him it is patience. Last but not least I have to tell u that I am very touched and inspired by the fact that he uses his culture and roots as inspiration for his art and I think it's so cool how he puts a new twist on traditional African art.