Writing Art Review

The Basics: The piece of art called Between Earth and Heaven, created by El Anatsui in 2006,

was placed in the Metropolitan Museum Art to show off its non-ocular beauty and to represent

the Africans and Europeans and when they first encountered each other. With a sense of

movement, it allows viewers to have a freedom in imagination of what the piece represents.

Description: Hundreds of liquor bottle tops of all different colors, shapes, and designs, are

stitched together using copper wire to represent the culture of Africa, Europe, and America. It is

hung up on the wall at about 86 inches tall and 128 inches wide and has a freedom of motion to

create different forms of the artwork.

 Physical Qualities- Recycled metal, liquor bottle caps, all different shapes: some

longer than others, some square, some are rectangle, etc. All different colors: gold, red,

yellow, blue, etc. Shiny metals that are solid in color, multiple colors, or have different

patterns or writing on them.

 Form- There seems to be more color focused in all four corners of the piece, a

checkerboard pattern through the entire piece, and the pieces dangle along the bottom all

to show a sense of movement and freedom.

 Content- Looking closely at the piece of art, it contains different types of liquor bottle

caps from Africa, Europe, and America to represent their culture. It focuses on reusing

recycled waste. It allows viewers to create different forms of the piece with its

movement.

 Presentation- Hung up on a solid colored tan/yellow wall, pinned up to show a sense of

wrinkled type texture and create depth within the piece.

  Interaction- Viewers are supposed to look at it, have freedom to imagine what they can

when they look at the piece.

Analysis:

 Material/Medium- This piece is unique by creating beauty with the use of recycled

liquor bottle caps. It has history of African, European, and American culture with caps

from each of those places.

 Form- Metal liquor bottle caps weaved together with copper wire. The movement is

created by the loose weave and bending of the copper wire.

 Process- The bottle caps are rolled and crimped out and woven together by hand.

 Action- This piece of art is helping take a notice to recycling, it shows attitude and that

change is good. That there are no fixed forms, one can have to freedom to make it what

they want it.

 Spectator Response- Viewers can interact with the piece, allowing an increase in

peoples imagination of what the piece represents. They can look closely to where the

bottle caps are from, to sense the culture behind the piece.

 Art and World History- This art relates to the piece of art called A million Pieces of

Home by the same artist. They’re created by the same metals, same colors, and somewhat

same shape. The piece relates to his previous artwork by using all recycled material in his

pieces to reduce waste. It considers the environment with recycling and freedom of

thought with a flexible structure.

Resources:

"El Anatsui: [Between Earth and Heaven]" (2007.96) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. (March 2008)

Met Media Video: El Anatsui installing Between Earth and Heaven

Met Media Video: "Between Earth and Heaven": El Anatsui and the Art of African Textiles

Met Media Audio: An interview with El Anatsui

Brooklyn Museum Teaching Resource: Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El

Anatsui. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Museum, 2013.