Philadelphia art lovers have a brand-new reason to celebrate: the Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced El Anatsui: Prints and Play, the first comprehensive museum survey of print-related work by the celebrated Ghanaian artist El Anatsui.
Running from December 19, 2026 through May 2, 2027, the exhibition will trace Anatsui’s remarkable creative journey from the 1980s to today, revealing his bold experiments with materials like cassava graters, newspaper, copper wire and cut aluminum sheets. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative artists of our time, Anatsui is beloved for turning humble, found objects into breathtaking works of art.
The show marks the artist’s second collaboration with the museum. In October 2024, Anatsui unveiled a major sculptural commission in the museum’s Williams Forum, which remains on view through April 2027. His deep ties to Philadelphia also include the Brandywine Workshop and Archives, with which he has collaborated since 2017.
The exhibition is curated by Chika Okeke-Agulu of Princeton University and PMA curator Heather Hughes, and will be accompanied by the first-ever illustrated catalogue dedicated to this lesser-known side of Anatsui’s work. “It is an honor to continue our collaboration with El Anatsui,” said Daniel Weiss, the museum’s George D. Widener Director and CEO.
Photo: El Anatsui, Metal Cloth, 2023. Inkjet print on aluminum with copper wire. Photo by Christopher Burke Studios. © El Anatsui. Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
