Wikipedia entry
Introduction
El Anatsui ([ah-nah-ch-wee], born 1944) is a Ghanaian sculptor active for much of his career in Nigeria. He has drawn particular international attention for his "bottle-top installations". These installations consist of thousands of aluminum pieces sourced from alcohol recycling stations and sewn together with copper wire, which are then transformed into metallic cloth-like wall sculptures. Such materials, while seemingly stiff and sturdy, are actually free and flexible, which often helps with manipulation when installing his sculptures.
Wikidata
Q1323876
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Getty record
Introduction
Born in Ghana and teaches sculpture in Nigeria. Anatsui is known for his large assemblages constructed from discarded materials such as bottle caps. His themes include reuse, transformation, and reconstitution of materials as metaphors for life and changes in Africa.
Nationalities
Ghanaian, African, Nigerian
Gender
Male
Roles
Artist, Carver, Ceramicist, Woodcarver, Installation Artist, Mixed-Media Artist, Painter, Sculptor, Textile Artist
Names
El Anatsui, Emmanuel Kwami Anatsui, Anatsui El Dela, Kwami Anatsui
Ulan
500034780
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Information from Getty’s Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License

Works

3 works online

Exhibitions

Publications

  • MoMA Highlights: 375 Works from The Museum of Modern Art Introduction by Glenn D. Lowry, 2019 Flexibound, 408 pages
  • MoMA Now: Highlights from The Museum of Modern Art—Ninetieth Anniversary Edition Introduction by Glenn D. Lowry, 2019 Hardcover, 424 pages
  • Among Others: Blackness at MoMA Charlotte Barat and Darby English, 2019 Hardcover, 488 pages
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