The Leftovers
2017
woven textile
239 x 163 cm
location VAM, B2, 07, 00
acquired in 2017
inventory number 3408
met steun van / with support of Stichting Promotors Van Abbemuseum
The Van Abbemuseum Collection consists of over 3600 artworks. We publish texts and images on an ongoing basis, but this record is currently in the process of being documented.
If you need specific information on this work or artist, remember that the Van Abbemuseum Library is at your disposal, or feel free to write to the library.
Description
The carpet edge has the enchanting blue-green shade of dioptase and azurite malachite: minerals from the unprecedented mines of Tsumeb in Namibia. 'The Leftovers' shows a damaged landscape by mining, coming from a series in which Otobong Nkanga reflects on the relationship between humans, geography, colonialism and the depletion of natural resources.
The carpet -produced in the Textiellab of the Textile Museum in Tilburg- is made up by several layers of colored wire, giving relief to the scraped earth layers. The earth wounds are strung together like mined amulets. Nkanga focuses on the origins of the objects with which we adorn ourselves.
