El AnatsuiUntitled II, 2023
Aluminum, copper wire and nylon string
Work: 363 x 360 cm (142.9 x 141.7 in.)
Video
El Anatsui’s monumental wall sculptures, composed of thousands of aluminium bottle caps and seals, transform discarded materials into shimmering, tapestry-like forms. Rooted in his Ewe heritage and the weaving traditions of Kente cloth, these works explore the complexities of postcolonial identity, environmental fragility, and global consumption. Neither painting nor sculpture, they occupy a shifting space between mediums – flexible, reconfigurable, and responsive to each new context. For Anatsui, these works are not static objects but living entities, continually evolving in form and meaning with each installation.
