El Anatsui Acrylic Tapestry

El Anatsui, a Ghanaian sculptor who lives and works in Nigeria, makes large-scale forms from discarded bottle caps and wrappers woven together with copper wire. In keeping with the spirit of Anatsuis’ use of discarded materials, students can use wire mesh to support dried acrylic paint that would otherwise be thrown away at the end of a class. Once dry, the piece can be shaped and reshaped or even connected to another piece to create a giant collaborative classroom installation!