For mine this is the world’s most important living artist. Stunning, epic and lyrical works; globally influential; conceptually and politically rigorous. A gentle giant who insists that contemporary art can speak to its many issues and concerns without becoming didactic or boring and dry as an essay. Anatsui is one of the very few contemporary artists we can genuinely call a genius and keep a straight face while doing so.
The Art is amazing but The presentation is absolutely incredible. I have followed El for several years but never understood it as well as I do now. Thank you
I don’t think the point is that it is be ‘understood’. This is what makes Anatsui such an important contemporary artist, he engages with all the ‘problems’ of contemporary theory (post-colonialism, globalism, environmental questions and so on) without making artwork that feels like an essay, or that makes the reading of a corpus of literature prerequisite to ‘enjoying’ and understanding the work. The work, I think, is supposed to be enjoyed for its beauty unencumbered by all the intellectual baggage that so much of contemporary art relies on for any kind of legitimacy or relevance. His works does speak to all these complex issues, sure, and awareness of them can enrich our ‘understanding’ but for mine what makes him our most important living artist is that the objects themselves remain primarily expressions of the sublime, the epic, and the beautiful; and are primarily intended to be enjoyed by ALL as poetic, aesthetic experiences.
Beautiful and powerful!
For mine this is the world’s most important living artist. Stunning, epic and lyrical works; globally influential; conceptually and politically rigorous. A gentle giant who insists that contemporary art can speak to its many issues and concerns without becoming didactic or boring and dry as an essay. Anatsui is one of the very few contemporary artists we can genuinely call a genius and keep a straight face while doing so.
Amazing work of Art!!!
This was excellent. Thank you for posting it.
Beautiful work.
Africans are so creative with their surroundings
The Art is amazing but The presentation is absolutely incredible. I have followed El for several years but never understood it as well as I do now. Thank you
I don’t think the point is that it is be ‘understood’. This is what makes Anatsui such an important contemporary artist, he engages with all the ‘problems’ of contemporary theory (post-colonialism, globalism, environmental questions and so on) without making artwork that feels like an essay, or that makes the reading of a corpus of literature prerequisite to ‘enjoying’ and understanding the work. The work, I think, is supposed to be enjoyed for its beauty unencumbered by all the intellectual baggage that so much of contemporary art relies on for any kind of legitimacy or relevance. His works does speak to all these complex issues, sure, and awareness of them can enrich our ‘understanding’ but for mine what makes him our most important living artist is that the objects themselves remain primarily expressions of the sublime, the epic, and the beautiful; and are primarily intended to be enjoyed by ALL as poetic, aesthetic experiences.
Grandioso.!!
Dr. Bühler did a great job
I would love to own a bottle cap sculpture.
Ha! I think Anatsui would prefer if most ordinary people just made one of their own! :)
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