Earth Matters: at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

On Monday April 22nd, Earth Day, The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art begins Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa" the exhibit will continue through to Jan. 5, 2014. "Curated by Karen E. Milbourne, "Earth Matters" is the first major exhibition exploring the ways in which African artists and communities mediate their relationship with the land upon which they live, work and frame their days." As part of this exhibition the museum invited globally renowned artists, El Anatsui, Strijdom van der Merwe and Ghada Amer to create Earth Works, the first installation of land art by three artists ever to be assembled outside in the Smithsonian Gardens and on the National Mall. A separate sculpture by Ledelle Moe will also be on display outside of the National Museum of African Art, on Independence Avenue.*1

So I took myself and my trusty camera on a tour of the 4 works that make up the Earth Works exhibit; here are my photographs along with videos (follow the links) that show the construction process;

Approaching the main gate of the museum on Independence Ave, you will be able to see the first Earth Work, by Strijdom van der Merwe. Africa's only dedicated full time Earth Works Artist. The work titled Land Reform is his first Earth Work created in the USA. and represents the history of the Spice Trade between Asia and Europe through South Africa and is highlighted by the Map Pins along the front of the Museum.

Titled "Land Reform", the grass is pulled back to expose history

Entering through the gate on the right side of the garden and in front of the African Art Museum is Ledelle Moe's Land/Displacements. 

Durban, South Africa's Ledelle Moe provides Land/Displacements

Ledelle Moe, from Durban, South Africa,  is internationally recognized for her "Displacements" series of works (amongst others) constructed Land/Displacements, a dramatic work, that had me mesmerized, as the longer I looked the more I saw. 

Further into the gardens now, to the right and sided by the waterfall, you will find where Ghana's El Anatsui created a pyramid.

El Anatsui pulls the rusted metal out of the earth in Pyramid sculpture

Known and loved the world over for the drama that his works produced from re-purposed materials, this piece for Earth Works rises to tree level with rusted metal and silvered mirrors in the sculptural form of a Pyramid. Like all of El Anatsui' work there is a theme here. Where we look at industrial waste as separate from the land it came from El Anatsui puts it back into context, what we take and use is still part of the land it came from, and as the Pyramid rises, the relationship of the metal from earth is well taken, and the mirrors, well, they see the land and everything around it, reflected back, its all one.

The last piece on display, has already become quite well known in Washington DC. This is Egyptian artist Ghada Amer' Earth Works and political statement, simply put the word Hunger on a gentle slope in the garden, just left of the Castle.

Ghada Amer simple but powerful in a single word

Ghada Amer is probably best known for her canvas's, that she embroiders, but Ghada has also been working in gardens for some time. She says that embroidery in the home and gardening outside the home embodies the lives of women in Africa. That's not to say that she will miss an opportunity to express pertinent, political messages as here. Hunger as a tool to buy votes in her native Egypt.

I cannot stress enough, these 4 Earth Works are only a slice of the full exhibition, Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa" that begins on Monday 22nd April - Earth Day- visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and take in the wonder and beauty of this exhibit. The Smithsonian creates and displays these very special exhibitions for you, for free, grab a family member or a friend and go experience this relevant and unique exhibit

*1 most of the opening text taken from The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art web site