El Anatsui
Ghana/Nigeria | Sculpture, Installation
Large-scale installations using discarded bottle caps and other materials.
Exhibitions
Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui
2012 - Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
A major solo exhibition showcasing large-scale installations made from recycled materials like bottle caps.
Triumphant Scale
2019 - Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany
A comprehensive retrospective covering five decades of Anatsui's work, focusing on his monumental sculptures.
El Anatsui: Five Decades
2015 - Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia
Retrospective exhibition highlighting key works from the artist's career, including his famous tapestry-like installations.
Gawu
2006 - National Museum of African Art, Washington D.C., USA
Showcased works made from reclaimed metal and found objects, emphasizing themes of recycling and transformation.
Glenn Ligon: Encounters and Collisions
2015 - Tate Liverpool, UK
Featured El Anatsui's work alongside other prominent artists, exploring themes of identity, history, and politics.
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa
2012 - Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., USA (traveled to several venues)
A major retrospective that covered four decades of Anatsui’s career, showcasing his evolution from wooden sculptures to the large-scale, shimmering installations made from discarded bottle caps and aluminum that he is best known for today. The exhibition highlighted his exploration of African history, memory, and identity.
El Anatsui: Gravity and Grace
2013 - Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
This solo exhibition featured Anatsui’s monumental wall sculptures made from thousands of bottle caps. The works explore themes of transformation, consumption, and the environmental impact of waste, while also reflecting on the artist’s African heritage.
Venice Biennale
2007 - Venice, Italy
Anatsui gained significant international recognition for his installation at the 52nd Venice Biennale, where his dazzling metallic tapestry-like sculptures captivated audiences and critics alike, solidifying his place as a leading contemporary artist.
Triumphant Scale
2019 - Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany
A comprehensive exhibition that showcased Anatsui's large-scale installations, exploring the physical and metaphorical weight of his works. The exhibition highlighted his ability to transform everyday materials into art that addresses themes of globalization, history, and postcolonialism.
Africa Remix: Contemporary Art of a Continent
2005 - Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
Group exhibition where Anatsui’s work was featured among other leading African artists, showcasing the diversity of contemporary African art. His contribution reflected his interest in materiality and the relationship between art, history, and society.
El Anatsui: New Worlds
2012 - Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, USA
A solo exhibition that focused on Anatsui's exploration of globalization and cultural exchange through his iconic bottle cap sculptures, reflecting the interconnectedness of the modern world and the flow of materials and ideas across borders.
"El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa"
2012 - Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., USA (traveled to several venues)
A major retrospective covering four decades of Anatsui’s career, showcasing his evolution from wooden sculptures to large-scale installations made from discarded bottle caps and aluminum, highlighting his exploration of African history, memory, and identity.
"El Anatsui: Gravity and Grace"
2013 - Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
A solo exhibition featuring Anatsui’s monumental wall sculptures made from thousands of bottle caps. The works explore themes of transformation, consumption, and the environmental impact of waste, while also reflecting on the artist’s African heritage.
"Venice Biennale"
2007 - Venice, Italy
Anatsui gained significant international recognition for his installation at the 52nd Venice Biennale, where his dazzling metallic tapestry-like sculptures captivated audiences and critics alike, solidifying his place as a leading contemporary artist.
"Triumphant Scale"
2019 - Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany
A comprehensive exhibition showcasing Anatsui's large-scale installations, focusing on the physical and metaphorical weight of his works. The exhibition highlighted his ability to transform everyday materials into art that addresses themes of globalization, history, and postcolonialism.
"Africa Remix: Contemporary Art of a Continent"
2005 - Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
Group exhibition where Anatsui’s work was featured among other leading African artists, showcasing the diversity of contemporary African art. His contribution reflected his interest in materiality and the relationship between art, history, and society.
"El Anatsui: New Worlds"
2012 - Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, USA
A solo exhibition that focused on Anatsui's exploration of globalization and cultural exchange through his iconic bottle cap sculptures, reflecting the interconnectedness of the modern world and the flow of materials and ideas across borders.