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.
