Art: El Anatsui Cascading Metal Wall Sculptures
Covering expanses of wall space, Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui’s stunning and ingenious fabric-like installations are like precious shimmering blankets imbued with pattern, colour, and texture.
[Image credits: top, Three Sectors;
bottom, Flag for a New World Power – El Anatsui/The October Gallery]
El Anatsui work is inspired by diverse indigenous African cultures, telling the continent’s rich history through the materials used and objects depicted. Known as the ‘Man’s Cloth series’, the fluid metal wall sculptures reflect Ghana’s rich fabric weaving traditions, and are made from thousands of discarded alcohol bottle tops and foil bottle neck wrappers; which are individually hand-shaped into squares rectangles and triangles and then connected together with copper wire. The materials used serve to create a visual narrative of the trade between Africa and Europe, where commodities like alcohol were traded for slaves and locally woven fabrics. Through his work, El Anatsui also highlights issues such as the negative impact widespread consumerism has on eroding cultural values.
[Image credits: top, Nane;
bottom, Nukae – El Anatsui/The October Gallery]
Recognised as one of the ‘foremost contemporary artists of his generation’ (The October Gallery) El Anatsui has exhibited his work to critical acclaim and undertaken residencies all over the world in a career that spans over forty years. Before turning his attention to using recycled materials, El Anatsui’s early work made use of metal, wood, clay, paint. El Anatsui is based in Nigeria where he relocated to take up a teaching post at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. El Anatsui taught at the university for thirty-seven years, becoming the Professor of Sculpture and Departmental Head; a post he retired from in 2011.
I can only imagine how the designs in the sculptures would look translated back into the fabrics they are inspired by and used across interiors and fashion.
Additional information sourced from:
www.wefaceforward.org
www.britishmuseum.org
Additional details:
For further information about El Anatsui visit: www.octobergallery.co.uk
