SELECTIONS delves into the world of acquisitions, exploring what museums and galleries have been adding to their collections in the past five years as well as featuring images and summaries of works and artists.
MOATAZ NASR
Bio: Egyptian, b. 1961
Title: Petro Beads, 2019
Medium: Repurposed metal gas containers
Size: approx. 126 x 55 x 30 in. overall
Acquired by: Chazen Museum of Art – Wisconsin
Artist represented by: Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai
Acquisition date: 2020
Exhibited: Not currently on view
This work places the spotlight on the corruption of religion, and politics, by the oil industry, with metal canisters, once repositories of petrol, suspended from the gallery ceiling to resemble prayer beads. According to Nasr, “I replaced the beads with gasoline canisters, just to say in simple words that gasoline money and petrol money have been involved in religion for a long time, and it has made it very dangerous.”
Courtesy of Galleria Continua
Credit line: The Chazen acquired Petro Beads as part
of their Contemporary African Art Initiative
Sara Guyer and Scott Straus Contemporary African
Art Initiative made possible by the Straus Family
Foundation. 2020.31
Petro Beads is in the Chazen’s permanent collection
A VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN PRINT IN SELECTIONS #55