Rock art
Ethiopia is located in one of the oldest settlement areas in history. That's why the country's rock art attracts so many specialists. The first discoveries, studied by Henri Breuil in the 1930s, defined an Arab-Ethiopian style from the Genda Biftou cave.
The art of the Rift region is characterized by painting rather than engraving, monochromy and geometric motifs. Circles, meanders and spirals are signs of ownership left by the peoples.
The arrival of religion
As early as the 4th century, Christian beliefs made their entry via the Red Sea. But from the 7th century onwards, Ethiopia came under pressure from its Muslim neighbors. This interrupted all contact with the West. As a result of this isolation, Ethiopia developed its own style, based on archaisms inherited from Byzantine culture. For several centuries, the local religion observed its own rites. Ethiopian art is therefore little affected by Western influences.
The most telling example is to be found in the mountains in the heart of the country. The eleven rock-hewn churches of Lalibela have earned the site the name of the New Jerusalem. The 12th-century pilgrimage site is believed to have been built by King Lalibela. The interiors of the churches, excavated rather than built, are decorated with mural paintings. From an aesthetic point of view, the biblical scenes are inherited from Byzantine painting. The Orthodox influence is felt in the absence of realism. The solemn figures, seen from the front, are schematized and emotionless. No architectural or natural elements are visible to orient the viewer.
Influences and realism
Pictorial art shows schematized motifs until the end of the 14th century. Gradually, three-quarter figures made their appearance, as did trees and elements of architecture and decoration. Lines became finer, and renderings more detailed. This is how European influences came to the fore in the 15th century. This stylistic evolution is visible on walls and in manuscripts.
The 17th century was marked by violent conflicts, resulting in the massive destruction of religious buildings. Churches were rebuilt on a circular plan, giving painters more space. Magnificent frescoes were painted under Emperor Fasiladas (1603-1667).
The morphology of the characters evolved in parallel: bearded, the nose and the shape of the face became longer. Poses became more varied, giving rise to more complex compositions. The color palette became richer. From 1730 onwards, the quest for realism inherited from European art was pushed to the extreme, detracting from the refinement of representation. The garish colors then introduced suggest an Indian influence.
Talismanic art
Used as a medium for prayer and healing, talismanic art is an ancient Ethiopian tradition. Its origins date back to the birth of Christianity. However, nowhere has it flourished like in Ethiopia. Labyrinthine patterns are the main motif of this movement.
Gedewon Makonen (1939-1995) and Gera are the leading exponents of this highly graphic art. Gedewon is hailed for the poetry of his gesture. According to him, talismans function both as figures and as writing. The repetition of pre-established ancestral patterns helps to heal the soul. The patterns are traced in pencil, pen or ink, while the patient adds his or her own experiences to the talisman. In the course of therapeutic creative sessions, the artist is also the caregiver and carrier of the patient's images.
Whether consideredoutsider art or medium art, Gedewon and Gera's work has earned them an international reputation.
Waka sculpture
These wood-carved funerary statues are called waka, waga or waaka. Stylized, they are carved by the Konso people of southern Ethiopia. They represent a deceased person who has distinguished himself in defense of the clan. Teeth and eyes in natural materials (eggshells, bone) are added, along with jewelry and a coating to protect them from sun and rain. The standing figure is intended as a reminder of the deceased's deeds, inscribed in the history of a population. All waka are placed atop a tumulus.
Among the different types of waka, the hero is distinguished by phallic ornamentation, weapons and ivory jewelry. The waka with a scepter is a poqalla, a symbol of authority. The female waka can be recognized by her traditional hairstyle, clothing and jewelry.
Waka can be admired at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa and at the Konso Museum.
Modern art
Decades of socio-political unrest and famine in Ethiopia have put cultural life on hold. However, a modern trend was formed at one of Africa's oldest art schools, the Ale School of Fine Art and Design in Addis Ababa, founded in 1958. All Ethiopian artists with a modicum of modernity have been students or teachers at this school.
The painter and poet Gebre Kristos Desta, born in Harar in 1932, died in 1981. Considered the precursor of modern art in Ethiopia, he studied art in Germany. On his return, he introduced "non-figuration in Ethiopia". In 2018, the Museum of Modern Art/Goethe Institut Ethiopia pays tribute to his work.
Forerunners Afewerk Tekle (1932-2012) and Skunder Boghossian (1937-2003) studied in London and Paris respectively. In turn, they passed on their version of innovative art to Africa. Boghossian, however, spent much of his career in the United States. His art draws on a melting pot of cultures. Religious symbols, jazz, magic art: Boghossian was the first Ethiopian artist to enter the collections of the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris and the MoMA in New York in 1963 and 1965 respectively.
Afewerk Tekle proposes his vision of Christian art, particularly through stained glass. He created numerous frescoes and mosaics in Ethiopia, including at St. George's Cathedral in Addis Ababa and the Hero Center in Debre Zeit.
International expansion
In recent years, Ethiopian art has made a name for itself on the international art market. Some artists, such as Wosene Kosrof, born in 1950 and now living in the United States, have chosen to make their careers abroad. His work can be seen at the Smithsonian and the UN headquarters in New York. In his paintings, Kosrof uses the ancestral Amharic language, distorting its signs.
Sculptor Etiyé Dimma Poulsen, born in 1968 in the Aroussis province, followed her adoptive parents to Denmark at the age of 14. Although she now lives in Belgium, Poulsen explores working with clay, drawing inspiration from traditional African statues to create her signature filiform ceramics. She likes to draw on her memories to fashion particularly expressive, streamlined silhouettes.
The rise of contemporary art
In Ethiopia, the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018 has been accompanied by culture-friendly reforms.
In Addis Ababa, many artists welcome the public into their studios and galleries. It's the best way to take the pulse of current creation. It's not uncommon to come across a house marked as an art gallery. Don't hesitate to knock on the door, even if it's not an official exhibition. The studio of the renowned Dawit Abebe (b. 1978) reflects his success. In demand by museums the world over, the artist paints enigmatic figures, deconstructing and reconstructing them to express his critique of society.
More traditional art galleries have also opened their doors, including Lafto Art Gallery and Asni Gallery. The Netsa Arts Village was set up in 2008 on the initiative of former students of the Addis Ababa University School of Applied Arts and Design. It quickly established itself as a platform for contemporary art. It is supported by the Goethe Institute and the city, which makes part of Ferensay Park available for cultural exchanges.
Urban art is on the rise in the capital. To raise awareness of its qualities, the Asa-Addis Street Art association has been bringing together graffiti and fresco artists since 2018. They respond to commissions, most often for commercial purposes. The cost of their work is calculated per square meter. A few gratis projects have been carried out by the Goethe Institute and the Alliance éthio-française.
Current scene
Heirs to a long pictorial tradition, contemporary artists explore all media. The emergence of exhibition spaces is encouraging creative activity. Artists are less tempted to go abroad, but this does not prevent them from extending their reputation to the four corners of the globe.
Elias Sime, a multidisciplinary artist born in 1968, lives and works in Ethiopia. He plays with materiality in his monumental reliefs made from electronic waste. From a visual point of view, his colorful patchworks remain profoundly Ethiopian. In 2002, he helped open the Zoma Contemporary Art Center (ZCAC) in the capital, now renamed the Zoma Museum. He is also responsible for the Unity Park sculpture garden in Addis Ababa's National Palace.
Wendimagegn Belete's collages of textiles and paintings are full of references to national history. Born in 1983, Ephrem Solomon draws on the tradition of wood engraving to draw attention to environmental emergencies and the human condition. His works have found their way into private and public collections in Dubai, the UK, Australia and South Africa.
Photographer Aida Muluneh created the first photography festival in East Africa, Addis Foto Fest (AFF). Born in 1974, she spent the second half of her childhood in Europe and then Canada. She worked as a freelancer for the Washington Post, and was also involved in the DESTA program for arts education in Africa. She returned to Ethiopia in 2007, after winning a prize at the Rencontres africaines de la photographie in Bamako, Mali. Her vision of Ethiopian culture can be seen in the collection Past Forward. Aida Muluneh remains particularly attached to analog photography.
In 2016, Ethiopia's first "white-walled" contemporary art gallery was opened by Rakeb Ile and Mesai Haileleul. Addis Fine Art (AFA) doubles up with a space in London's Fitzrovia district. AFA represents Ethiopian artists at all international art fairs. It contributes to their recognition in Miami, New York, Dubai, Lagos and Cape Town. Under its wing, Ethiopian visual artists are recognized for their true worth.
