Another Place,

2014

This shimmering, opalescent scrim is composed of hundreds of bottle caps stitched together with copper wire that remains pliable and thus takes on a new form each time the work is installed. Originating from local distilleries, the bottle caps proliferate in Nigerian junk depots, speaking to the ongoing legacy of the economic networks that facilitated the transatlantic slave trade, in which alcohol was a key import to Africa by Europeans. Anatsui’s process transforms these materials into a tapestry that recalls the intricate patterns of textiles representing status, luxury, and community affiliation in West African traditions. Anatsui developed his sculptural practice of imbuing ordinary objects with social resonance as a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The artist studied under Uche Okeke and taught for more than four decades, influencing artists such as Ozioma Onuzulike. Works by Okeke and Onuzulike hang nearby.