The piece of textile that I have chosen to consider for this blogpost is a relief sculpture created from waste materials: "discarded bottles, plastic bags and other found objects" (Baltic 2019). It is particularly interesting to me because Anyaeji draws on her Nigerian Heritage in two connected ways, firstly by recycling two environmental pollutants, especially evident in Nigeria and secondly by working with them in a method influenced by a traditional form of hair-plaiting known as Ikpa Owu. Here are some other examples of her art.
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Mmanwu Oko (2019)
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Many other textile artists work with recycled materials. For example, Louise Baldwin is a textile artist using recycled materials and found objects. She combines hand and machine embroidery to create collaged wall hangings constructed from ‘the mundane waste of domestic packaging‘.
Louise Baldwin - Chance Meeting
However, whilst Baldwin recycles waste or mundane materials in her work, it doesn't have the strong sense of message about waste and the environment that features in Anyaeji's work. On the other hand, Julie Peppito creates sculptures, collages, drawings, quilts and tapestries to depict a narrative, an idea, or to make social or political comments. Julie seamlessly integrates plastic litter, objects from nature and collected items along with drawn and painted imagery into her works.
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| Julie Pepito: Lits in the water toxic reform.... |
Similarly, El Anatsui is a Ghanaian artist whose signature work is sewing together vast quantities of discarded bottle tops to resemble large pieces of woven cloth. In company with Anyaeji, he also seeks to demonstrate the links between consumption, waste and the environment and to root his work in his African heritage. Their work is also similar in terms of finding their audience in large scale art galleries.
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El Anatsui: Gravity and Grace
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Anyaeji's work is likely to be described, discussed and critiqued in Art Gallery exhibition notes and specialist magazines and books, for example:  |
| Exhibition Guide |
The work might also be written about in Newspaper and magagzine articles highlighting new exhibitions and artists, for example Ubikwist.
"UBIKWIST celebrates Diversity. This biannual, international, independent publication evokes global perspective and features emerging as well as established talent across all genres of popular culture: Fashion, Beauty, Music, Art, Film, Design, Illustration and Reportage" (Ubikwist 2020)
I saw Anyaeji's work at the Baltic Gallery in Gateshead. This is a large piece of work as are many of her pieces and therefore they are likely to be displayed in large scale galleries. Indeed she has had exhibitions in a number of US and Canadian private galleries and University galleries since 2011.
Anjaeji's work is for a gallery audience. There are political messages embedded in her work, for example, to do with environmental pollution, recognising diversity and valuing women's traditional crafts. Therefore it is reasonable to think that her work is aimed at people who wish to engage with art as a political medium. Perhaps she also hopes that some other gallery goers might be drawn in to her messages through coming across her work.
References
Baltic + (2019) Ifeoma U. Anyaeji Exhibition Guide, May 24th 22nd September 2019, [Online] available from: http://balticplus.uk/ifeoma-u-anyaeji-ezuhu-ezu-incomplete-interpretation-guide-c32961/. accessed Nov. 8th 2020
Ubikwist (2020) About. Ubikwist [Online]. Available from: https://www.ubikwistmag.com/about/. accessed Nov 8th 2020
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