El Anatsui

Hello Everyone,

I recently found out that my artwork is going to be posted along side a big name artist; El Anatsui.

So Who is El Anatsui?
El Anatsui is a world class artist, coming from Ghana, that is known for his innovative and breathtaking sculpture pieces.

He was born in the year 1944, Anyako,Ghana. He was formally trained at the College of Art and University of Science and Technology in Kumasi,Ghana. Much of his career has been situated in Nigeria as he taught at the University of Niagira, Nsukka in 1975. He was also a part of the Nsukka group; a group of artists in Nigeria working to revive the practice of Uli art and incorporate it into contemporary art. Anatsui's art has been exhibited all over the world in places such as New York and Paris.

His Art.

Above is a photo of a recent piece of art that is sending those in the art world into crazed admiration and influencing innovation through art. El Anatsui discovered that local distilleries in Nigeria were forming mountains of liquor bottle caps when the bottles were recycled. He took this hard, ugly, ordinary objects and turned them into beautiful flowing quilts. The African patterned quilts break down barriers that allow personal response and interpretation.

Anatsui uses many different types of media in his artwork such as wood, ceramics and paint. He is known for using objects around him to create unique pieces of art out of ordinary things. His metal cloths are just one example of this. He has created three-dimensional sculptures out of evaporated milk tins, rusty metal graters and old printing plates (http://www.africa.si.edu/).

His style breaks down barriers between what is 'beautiful' and what is 'ugly'; what is 'art'. By using ordinary objects he finds around him, he turns them into world renown pieces of art.

My Thoughts

I think El Anatsui is admirable artist. I like that he thinks outside 'the box' and makes people reconsider plain objects as art. Personally, when I first heard he had made a cloth out of old bottle caps I was skeptical. After seeing his pieces, I can say that his art work is both interesting and show his person.

I love the culture that is thrown into each of his pieces. You can see the modern aspects with his choice of medium yet you can see his roots shine through in his pieces. By looking at his art I automatically feel like I am in some far off country in Africa. His art displays culture that applies to so many people. It is truly unique.

Katelynn

Sources: http://www.octobergallery.co.uk/newsletters/el_anatsui_ny/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Anatsui

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nsukka_group

http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/gawu/about.html#SlideFrame_1