The Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui is considered as one of the most important African artists currently active in his continent. It is for this reason that this year the Boards of Directors of the Biennale di Venezia decided to award him with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, a very prestigious acknowledgment which not only takes into consideration his personal success as an artist, but also the influence he has exercised on succeeding generations.
The Museo della Ceramica holds as part of its collection his work dated from 2002 “Personal Security” . The sculpture is the result of the workshops of “Attese Edizioni” which took place as part of the Biennial of Ceramics in Contemporary Art (Biennale della Ceramica nell’Arte Contemporanea). Through the fragility given by clay, this work explores the theme of security, which for the artist is “at base a private issue” rooted in each individual, who strives to secure the environment surrounding him. The secured territory becomes a most needed commodity, yet as fragile as the medium chosen by the artist.
The acknowledgment will be awarded on Saturday May 9th during the opening ceremony of the 56th International Art Exhibition of the Biennale di Venezia.
