El Anatsui, a globally celebrated Ghanaian sculptor, has transcended the traditional boundaries of art with his unique style. Born in Anyako, Ghana in 1944, Anatsui is a citizen of the Ewe Nation. After graduating from art school at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Anatsui became a professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and began to incorporate indigenous African symbolism into his works. Anatsui’s work aims to blend African traditions with contemporary conversations, often featuring unconventional materials and displaying a profound exploration of history and culture.
Anatsui is best known for using materials such as wire and bottle caps to create sculptures that reflect on themes of waste and sustainability. The works are impressively large-scale, yet still flexible, leading them to take new forms in each installment location. In one exhibit, Behind the Red Moon, Anatsui used thousands of liquor bottle caps and crumpled wire to mirror the intricate weaving of traditional West African textiles. The bottle caps illustrate the history of commercial trade and Africa’s role in the multicontinental industry.
However, Anatsui does not limit himself to certain materials—he often experiments with materials as a means of exploring new themes. “I work with material that has witnessed and encountered a lot of touch and human use,” he explained in an interview from the ART21 Extended Play series, “and these kinds of material and work have more charge than […] machines.” One such example is his free-standing piece Cire Perdue, which roughly translates to “lost life.” Made of wood and bronze, the piece aims to symbolize sacrifice and function.
From Shanghai to Switzerland, Anatsui’s work has been installed in cities around the world. His latest group exhibition, Manual Assembly: Fragments of a Whole, closed in December 2024. Displayed in York University’s Goldfarb Gallery in Toronto, Ontario, the exhibit explored the connection between materials, personal experience, and the environment.
To learn more about El Anatsui, visit his website: www.elanatsui.art.
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