A couple of years ago, a piece by El Anatsui stopped me dead in my trek through MOMA. I didn’t know who he was, or the significance of the piece…..only that it grabbed my attention. It was Bleeding Takari II, a huge, shimmering wall hanging.
Susan Vogel’s excellent documentary Fold Crumple Crush: The Art of El Anatsui increased my interest in Anatsui’s art. Click here for a brief trailer of the film.
The Art Caravan had the good fortune to see the travelling exhibition, Gravity and Grace: The Monumental Works of El Anatsui at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. It was a perfect setting for the works, as the Downtown location is in the historic Santa Fe Depot Baggage Building, a cavernous space with natural light.
Look closely at the work. (Click on the images for better viewing.) It is composed of recycled materials, often woven together with copper wire. I admire how the microscopic pieces, beautiful and full of history, combine to create a macroscopic work of art. It’s no wonder El Anatsui is considered the foremost contemporary African artist.
I’ve seen several of his works in at various museums. All the big ones seem have at least some of his work. They are always stunning, both in scale, but also in detail and shear beauty. There is an ART21 episode about him and how he works. http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/el-anatsui
We saw his work at the Brooklyn Museum of Art a few years ago. Loved the way your perspective changed as you approached a piece and realized what it was made of.
Just like your work…..I appreciate the details, as well as the whole work.