“El Anatsui: Gawu”

By Susan Davidson

National Museum of African Art

950 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, 20013
Phone: 202.633.4600

Nearby Metro Stops:

Smithsonian
L'Enfant Plaza

Wheelchair Accessible:

Yes

Kid Friendly:

Yes

The sculptures in “El Anatsui: Gawu” are sometimes called “tapestries” but are made from discarded bits and pieces of metal such as tops of food cans (gawu is the Ewe word for “metal”), even printing plates previously used for publishing obituaries. What is El Anatsui—an artist from Ghana who lives in Nigeria—saying by putting these found objects together? Perhaps that there’s beauty to be found even in what we throw away. This is the first US exhibit by El Anatsui.