El Anatsui: All That Glisters…
Considering the history and heritage that exalts ephemera into distinctive contemporary art out of Africa
Many small circles of metal, joined together to form colour blocks of red and gold, black and silver, glitter in a way that suggests precious doubloons rather than the stamped-flat tops of liquor bottles, which they really are. A vast tapistry glints in silvers and rainbow colours that on closer inspection reveals itself to be hundreds of foil bottle collars stitched together with fine copper into a patchwork that suggests a traditional cape or blanket.
Thus, the artist El Anatsui, with the help of many others contributing time and effort, transforms the ephemeral waste of contemporary culture into something vast and beautiful. Many of his works such as Earth Cloth and Old Man’s Cloth, which have been displayed since 2003, can be treated as installation pieces — set up differently according to the gallery space, or even draped over shrubbery outside. When displayed as art in the environment, this mirrors the making process which generally takes place in the open air as a from of community activity.
