El Anatsui

Born in Ghana, El Anatsui (b. 1944) is an internationally-acclaimed sculptor based in Nigeria. Using discarded items such as bottle caps, wire, and driftwood, he meticulously flattens, bends, and weaves these materials into genre-defying works of sculpture. His projects merge local African visual motifs with contemporary abstract sensibilities, producing wholly unique dynamic forms. El Anatsui's totemic assemblages transcend geographic boundaries to address issues of consumerism, waste and the environmental legacies of colonialism in a distinctive artistic language.

In addition to his monumental works, El Anatsui has created several innovative editioned pieces where he combines modern printmaking with his signature use of reclaimed materials. In Metal Cloth, El Anatsui prints images of his metal textiles directly onto sheets of aluminum, which are then enhanced with hand-cut edges and sculpted drapery bound together with wire. Each one of his limited editions is unique, with distinct character due to the handcrafted elements. In these editions, El Anatsui blurs the line between two-dimensional prints and three-dimensional sculptures. 

His highly sought after work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; The Museum of Modern Art, NY; National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; The British Museum, London; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Museums of San Francisco; Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, AE; Indianapolis Museum of Art, IN; Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman; Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf; National Gallery of Contemporary Art, Lagos; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; and Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo among others.