Ghanaian Sculptor El Anatsui Named In Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023
Renowned Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui has been named among the 100 Most Influential People of 2023 in Time Magazine.
El Anatsui is notably known for using empty plastic bottles and their covers to design magnificent art which looks very attractive to tourists.
The award-winning sculptor was named among other stars in politics, entertainment, and sports like King Charle, Angela Bassett, Beyonce, Michael B Jordan, Joe Biden, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and the current President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.
El Anatsui was the only Ghanaian listed in the magazine in the ‘Artists’ category, with others like Ali Wong, Salma Hayek Pinault, Zoe Saldana, Simone Leigh, and Suzan Lori-Parks from different countries.
The 79-year-old man became very famous in 1992 due to his ‘Erosion’ art which was misinterpreted by many in different ways.
The sculptor carved wood to depict erosion as pertained in Ghana in the 1990s. It became an instant hit, becoming the focus of the international community.
In 2025, El Anatsui, who is an alumnus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was conferred with the Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale awards segment.
BBC and other international media outlets often show the works of El Anatsui to portray how an African is able to convert waste products into usable artefacts that are generating income.
El Anatsui and his family are currently living in Nigeria.
Below are some works of El Anatsui
