A friend sent me a link to the art work of El Anatsui after she saw his work at the Brooklyn Museum. El Anatsui " converts found materials into a new type of media that lies between sculpture and painting, combining aesthetic traditions from his birth country, Ghana; his home in Nsukka, Nigeria; and the global history of abstraction." His show, Gravity and Grace, at the Brooklyn Museum has "over 30 works in metal and wood that transform appropriated objects into site-specific sculptures."
She rightly guessed that I would be attracted to his work for both the aesthetic quality and the manner of creation. Anatsui uses bottle caps, wood scraps, aluminum wire and other recycled items and is "captivated by his materials’ history of use." I admire his ability to re-envision and elevate the material. It inspires, instead of lectures, as his work quietly challenges us to see new potential for everyday materials.
Quotes and images from the Brooklyn Museum.
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