By: Arnold Tunstall, Collections Manager
We’ve begun the next phase of our El Anastui exhibition, Gravity and Grace – after its premiere here in Akron. Since the exhibit closed last October, the staff has been working nearly every day to prepare it for the national tour. Our preparators re-designed existing crates, new ones and developed packing methods.
And I went to Brooklyn to assist with the installation.
Watching Brooklyn Museum’s curatorial team re-imagine some of the works was very exciting. A few pieces were literally turned upside down, parts of Peak were turned into a forest of tin can tree forms and most dramatically, the installation piece Gli (wall) went from a maze of screens visitors walked around in Akron to soaring translucent pieces climbing up the height of the impressive rotunda in Brooklyn.
While in New York, I was able to check in at Jack Shainman Gallery on the last day of Anatsui’s wonderful exhibition of new works. Later, I climbed up on the High Line to see how Anastui transformed the side of a building into a work of art with mirrored panels and rusty metal plates. If you are in New York for the exhibition in Brooklyn, make sure to see this fantastic piece on the High Line (near 20th st.)
The Brooklyn Museum has posted a number of images and a wonderful stop-motion video of the installation process check it out:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwV9FsetUEI&feature=player_embedded]