One Man's Trash.....

Hello, and  yes, you are on the right page.  I am trying out some different blog formats and inevitably there will be some kinks as I navigate my way through these changes.  Unfortunately, I do not have control over every design aspect, so please bear with me as things evolve. 


If you haven't already seen the current El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You About Africa exhibition at the Blanton Museum, then you are in for a treat. The exhibit, a retrospective of the artist's work over the past forty years, is on loan from the Museum for African Art in New York City. It is traveling across the country and The Blanton is the only venue in the Southwest to have this exhibit.

El Anatsui does not dictate the exact way each piece is hung, so the overall configuration can vary with each exhibit

El Anatsui is a West African artist whose luminous work is made of liquor bottle caps,

aluminum cans and found metal objects. He transforms discarded metal into stunning monumental free-standing tapestries. 

Born in Ghana, he now lives in Nigeria where he is a professor of sculpture at the University of Nigeria.

A close up of the intricate work in these metal sculptures

The man standing in front of this piece gives an idea of the large scale
of El Anatsui's work

On close inspection, you can see some of the brand names on the flattened
metal pieces

Before the 1970's, Anatsui worked with wood and ceramics. Included in the exhibit are some of his chain saw sculptures that evoke the changing African culture and experience during colonialism.

* Remember, museum admission is free on Thursdays, and parking is validated.