Delve into Anatsui's creative process and his art becomes even more enthralling. A Nigeria transplant born and raised in Ghana, Anatsui injects commentary on African history and culture into his work. His choice of materials is, on one hand, practical: the bottle caps are malleable and come in a wide variety of colors and textures, providing him seemingly infinite possibilities for his work. But it is also a cultural reference: to alcohol's ties to Africa's colonizers, who brought drink to the region and whose slave trade was fueled by the production of rum. The linking of each bottle cap to another also holds poetic significance: by interconnecting bottle caps that have been touched by different individuals, various personal histories are linked, as well.

I loved this exhibit on many levels. Viscerally, there is just something about these pieces that delights, uplifts and inspires. Without over-thinking it, being around Anatsui's art simply made me happy. Intellectually, I appreciated his references to the effects of colonialism on a culture, coming from a country whose identity has been and continues to be shaped by its colonizers. And on a more personal level, I feel an affinity to Anatsui and how he identifies as a nomad. We belong to that third culture of those who choose to live in a society different from the one they were born into. I could identify with how the decision to live that kind of life inevitably changes you, making you malleable and expanding your horizons. It can be difficult and unsettling, but it's a way of life that allows some truly unexpected and breathtaking things to emerge.

Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui 

is on display at the Brooklyn Museum until August 4, 2013.