Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui has been awarded the Visionary Artist Degree of Doctor honoris causa from the University of Edinburgh.
This prestigious honour follows his recent receipt of the Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Bard College, New York, awarded during its 164th commencement in May 2024.
Anatsui, a towering figure in contemporary art, has secured his place among the most celebrated African artists. His innovative practice, involves transforming discarded materials—such as bottle caps, cassava graters, as well as newspaper printing plates—into mesmerizing tapestries and sculptures.
Since launching his teaching career at the University of Nigeria in 1975, Anatsui has earned widespread recognition for his pioneering sustainable art. His works, exhibited in esteemed institutions like the British Museum and Centre Pompidou, explore themes of recycling, transformation, and colonial impact.
His monumental pieces, which garnered the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 2015, exemplify both artistic brilliance and environmental awareness.
Born in 1944, Professor Emeritus El Anatsui studied at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and spent four decades teaching at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His innovative practice has also inspired an entire generation of artists and thinkers through his unique material experimentations.
