Ghana Contemporary art
El Anatsui, a Ghanaian sculptor born on February 4, 1944, has carved a niche for himself with his iconic bottle-top installations. His artistry bridges his Ghanaian roots and his career in Nigeria, drawing international acclaim for its innovative use of everyday materials. Anatsui's large-scale metal tapestries, meticulously assembled from discarded bottle caps and copper wire, reflect a lifetime of exploring local materials and craftsmanship.
A citizen of the Ewe Nation, El Anatsui's lineage is entwined with art; he is the son of a master weaver of Kente cloth. This heritage shines through in his work, as does his formal art training from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. Anatsui's sculptures are not just art pieces but narratives woven from wood, metal, and clay, each piece shimmering with a story.
Anatsui's installations are a testament to his transformative vision, repurposing simple materials into mutable sculptures that resonate with a global audience. His works, often featured in prestigious museums and galleries, are more than sculptures; they are dialogues in sustainability and culture, inviting viewers to unravel the layers of meaning within.
For collectors, auctioneers, and art connoisseurs, El Anatsui's works are a blend of history, innovation, and artistry, making them significant additions to any collection. To stay updated on the latest from El Anatsui and his mesmerizing creations, sign up for our newsletter.
Ablade Glover is a Ghanaian artist and educator. He has exhibited widely, building an international reputation over several decades, as well as being regarded as a seminal figure on the West African art scene. His work is held in many prestigious private and public collections, which include the Imperial Palace of Japan, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. He has received several national and international awards, including the Order of the Volta in Ghana, and is a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London. He was Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Art Education and Dean of the College of Art at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology until 1994.
Todd Gray works in photography, performance and sculpture as a contemporary artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California and Akwidaa, Ghana.
Writing in the catalogue for the exhibition Black is, Black Ain't at the Renaissance Society, Chicago, Amy M. Mooney writes "critics have noted that Gray's work is "fluent in cultural iconography, driven by introspection, and steeped in issues of corporate politics and racial identity" and that his self-portraits thwart a traditional read of the exterior likeness". Gray describes himself as an artist and activist who primarily focuses on issues of race, class, gender, and colonialism, and uses these lenses to challenge binaries in the past and present. In general, his work aims to challenge the viewer both by what he is including and what he is leaving out.
