El Anatsui:
Reusing Materials and Applying the Concept of “Sankofa” to Transform
Objective 1:
Today, we will learn that El Anatsui is a famous contemporary African artist who uses resources that are thrown away to create beautiful sculptures.
His materials highlight his interest in reuse and transformation.
Let’s think about reusing to transform
Reuse: What do you think this is made out of?
Transform: What does this artwork look like to you? What does it make you feel?
Dusasa II by El Anatsui
Let’s think about reusing to transform
Reuse: What do you think this is made out of?
Transform: What does this artwork look like to you? What does it make you feel?
Between Heaven and Earth by El Anatsui
Let’s think about reusing to transform
Reuse: What do you think this is made out of?
Transform: What does this artwork look like to you? What does it make you feel?
Gli (Wall) by El Anatsui
Let’s think about reusing to transform
What do the three works that we looked at have in common?
How are they different? Do you have a favorite? Why is it your favorite?
Gli (Wall)
Between Heaven and Earth
Dusasa II by El Anatsui
Let’s think about reusing to transform
Let’s take a peek into El Anatsui’s art studio and watch him transform bottle caps into artwork. Which steps of the process do you find interesting?
Objective 2:
Today, we will also learn that El Anatsui adopted the phrase sankofa, a Ghanaian term meaning “go back and pick.”
The phrase describes the process of remembering where you come from in the act of making art.
It is about representing your past with art.
�
Let’s think about how El Anatsui practices sankofa…
By using bottle caps, El Anatsui is helping us remember history, including the history of slavery. Bottle caps first arrived in Africa during colonialism. Bottled drinks were some of the things traded for slaves, who then were forced to work on plantations to make sugar that was put into the drinks.
Let’s think about how El Anatsui practices sankofa…
“Used materials encourage contemplation about the history, or the story of the material….”
-El Anatsui
Let’s think about how El Anatsui practices sankofa…
By creating specific patterns in his artwork, Anatsui’s work resembles the work of his dad, brother, and other traditional Kente weavers who create beautiful African cloth by weaving strips into patchwork. Some of Anatsui’s patterns look like traditional Kente cloth patterns.
It is your turn!
What do I do?
Just like El Anatsui, you will use bottle caps and the concept of sankofa to create beautiful art!
How do I do it?
Remember that sankofa is a Ghanaian term meaning “go back and pick. ” Think about what happened in the past that is meaningful to you and draw it using pastels. Decorate it by gluing bottle caps, too!