Wood Slats For Chain Link Fence

On exhibit: El Anatsui at The Clark

By Tim Kane, Special to the Times Union

In Ghanaian artist El Anatsui’s large installations, metallic reds, silvers and golds weave like flowing tapestries.

They speak of beauty and recall African cloth, but they are made of thousands of liquor bottle caps, labels and copper wire — trash, in other words. The refuse has been pieced together into curvy sculptures, often with frayed edges. It adds a disquieting message about the relationship between the West and Africa.

On exhibit at the Stone Hill Center at the Clark Art Institute, the individual pieces of re-purposed refuse form cylinders, squares and rectangles, and are juxtaposed against each other in endless combinations. Some are latticed like chain-link fences; others are tied in eloquent interlacing, conjuring native embroidery and symbolism. The tiniest resemble confetti.

The largest of the installations on display, “Intermittent Signals” (2008), bends like a hulking ship wrecked on a distant shore. “Delta” (2010) flutters like a flag, denoting national identity and sovereignty, but it also replicates the vast Niger River, the lifeblood of sophisticated cultures. With vertical slits, “Strips of Earth’s Skin” suggests openings to a village hut and the life inside, arms carrying a dead body and the pockmarked earth.

The refuse with ties to Africa’s colonial past first attracted El Anatsui’s attention years ago. He started collecting the objects around Nsukka, in southeastern Nigeria, his adopted hometown, as an archival process based on instinct and recycling. He quickly found their multilayered messages and attention-grabbing colors were more intriguing than the muted and monochrome wood and ceramics he customarily worked with.

They provide El Anatsui a more precise vocabulary to express the African experience in the post-colonial age. The prominence of gold in his palette is tied to the fact Nigerians mined gold and later traded it to Europeans, often for alcohol . Gold was also pounded into foil to make ritual sculptures connected to tribal succession, thus holding its own indigenous meaning concerning leadership.

This double meaning helps drive his latest efforts, adding subtle complexities to an output already seen as a benchmark for modern African art.

He first received attention in the 1970s, reinterpreting Ghanaian forms in pyro-engraved wood discs. In the 1980s after moving to Nigeria to teach, he created the so-called “broken pot” series in which he connected with 500 B.C.-methods and ancient spirits.

Landscaping the Pool Area

Backyard pools offer a great source of summer fun but keeping the area around the pool neat, clean and attractive will enhance the beauty of the pool and make it a more comfortable and relaxing place to be. When choosing a landscaping idea for poolside you need to consider safety first, convenience second and then privacy and beauty.

Placing a fence around your pool area is a great idea that can increase safety and provide privacy. You can choose any type of fencing material such as wood, vinyl or chain link fencing. If you decide to use a chain link fence , you can still create privacy by using privacy slats designed especially for chain link fences.

You can add plants to your landscape to give it a more natural feel but keep in mind that plants need extra maintenance. Therefore, if you don’t have the time to take care of plants along with the regular maintenance the pool needs, you may want to skip these. If you do decide to use plants, choose wisely and pick out the low maintenance ones so you can cut back on some of the work.

If you have plenty of room around your pool, consider building a changing room or area where you can keep snacks and beverages to reduce the traffic from the pool to the house. Add some solar lights that will keep the pool area lit up and you can swim late into the night without worry. Add the poolside furniture and a BBQ grill and you're ready for summertime fun around the pool.

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