El Anatsui, 'In the World But Don’t Know the World', 2009, aluminium en koperdraad, 560 x 1000 cm, collectie Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam en Kunstmuseum Bern. Mogelijk gemaakt dankzij de Vereniging Rembrandt (mede dankzij haar Titus Fonds, haar Themafonds Naoorlogse en Hedendaagse kunst, haar Van Rijn Fonds en haar Coleminks Fonds), het Mondriaan Fonds, de BankGiro Loterij en Stiftung GegenwART, met speciale dank aan de SIGG COLLECTION © El Anatsui. Foto Peter Tijhuis.

El Anatsui, 'In the World But Don’t Know the World', 2009     2009     Peter Tijhuis

Stories

A monumental artwork made from thousands of bottle tops, each one flattened and connected to others with copper wire, then folded to form a huge wall sculpture. The refuse materials that El Anatsui uses hold within them many stories about trade, consumerism, and slavery.

Alcohol

The connecting factor throughout is bottled alcohol; as a stimulant, economic commodity, and symbol of exploitation and addiction; as a metaphor for cultural and economic exchange and oppression.

Location

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Museumplein 10
1071 DJ Amsterdam
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