Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Metal Tapestries

One of El Anatsui's work is part of the permanent collection at the Centre Pompidou. He gained international recognition in 1990 when he represented Africa in the Venice Biennale.


About two years ago, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, hosted a 40-year retrospective of his work.

Sasa, 2004
This monumental work can be displayed in different configurations which the artist leaves to the curator to decide.

Its size is very powerful.



His metal tapestries recall the golden shimmer of Klimt paintings, evokes weaving and cloth and even sculpture.


He used flattened liquor-bottle tops and "sews" them together with copper wire. His medium, introduced by Europeans, hints at the relationship between Africa and the Western world.



3 comments:

  1. Wow, Sandra.
    Yes, I saw the ROM exhibit and loved it. Absolutely.

    Thank you for posting your visits to galleries, etc. It is a lot of work to go back to those photos and think about them again, and you do it very well. Great photos.

    Are you teaching yet?
    xx

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  2. No teaching at the moment but gearing up for the France show, Tradition in Transition, in September. Also visiting Sulmona and Introdacqua (Abruzzo, Italy) to prepare for next July's teaching engagements. Also researching while in Italy for two textile trips in 2013. I will be taking one group to Verona and a second group to Umbria. View more info in PAGES under "textile trips" and "teaching schedule". As usual lots in the works!!

    Thanks for your great comments. I love hearing from my readers.

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