Dereje Shiferaw
Born in 1976. Dereje Shiferaw’s current body of work utilizes bold and deliberate strokes made with oil pastel, acrylic paint and water color. His mixed media techniques on paper and canvas evoke a multidimensional world of composition depicted in contested environments.
Shiferaw’s approach to portraying Black subjects and subjectivities center on an unapologetic emboldening of facial features that maximize the adornment and celebration of subaltern black bodies. His style challenges formal approaches to the medium, enabling a politicized personal subjectivity to emit from the faces and facial features he depicts. For years, Shiferaw has pondered philosophies of togetherness. One plus one is not exclusively two as per the titular equation. A sum could be infinitely more than a singular sum of disparate parts. He contextualizes his work in this wonder and the suggestion that there is truth to be found in what remains unrevealed. Shiferaw improvises black line work in dialogue with his extensive use of black. Organic forms emerge from a sense of calculated abandon. This improvisation connects his philosophical pondering of the unrevealed with his visual arts practice and technique. Shiferaw has exhibited work in Ethiopia and abroad. In 2022 his solo show was presented at Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema, Malta. His work has exhibited in group shows, most recently at SPAZJU KREATTIV in 2023 for a retrospective on contemporary African Art in Valletta, Malta and in the past at Gravit Art Gallery in Nairobi, Kenya. Shiferaw currently lives and works with his wife and children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Prince Merid Tafesse
Born in Ethiopia in 1974, is dubbed the King of Charcoal for his masterful use of the medium which Modern Museum of Art (MOMA) has archived several of his charcoal on paper works, deposited by curator Meskerem Assegued. A 1998 graduate of Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Art; Design where he specialized in painting, his photographic memory facilitates the creation of profound portraits, figures -spaces and places. His talent is an affront to stereotypical notions of art from Africa, surpassing boundaries with his unique visual voice. Inspired by his heritage and his mother, a self-taught artist and 5 th generation descendant of the Imperial Ethiopian Family, he is also influenced by the works of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I; Bob Marley’s music and Kahlil Gibran and Oscar Wilde’s prose. He ha had exhibitions, residencies in Jerusalem; Paris; Johannesburg; Dubai; NYC and Miami Wynwood Art District during Art Basel, 2011 and University of Florida Harn Museum to name a few. Commissions include Coca Cola, Addis Abeba; Red Terror Martyr’s Museum and Embassies of Portugal and France, amongst others, with collections in Dr. Rita Marley/Bob; Rita Marley Foundations, Embassies of Denmark and the USA, National Museum of Ethiopia and UN Office for the High Commissioner on Human Rights. His creative epicenter is called Moa Anbessa Fine Art Studio Gallery in the heart of Addis Abeba – diplomatic capital of Africa.
Zerihun Yetmgeta
Magic scroll paintings based on weaver’s tools and strips of parchment framed on pieces of wood is artist Zerihun Yetmgeta’s established trademark. His work combines modern art interwoven with traditional motifs that creates a cosmopolitan work of art. Owing to Yetmgeta’s extraordinary choice of mixed media with modern painting trends, he has been recognized in numerous art books, national megazines, newspapers and publications.
Born 1941, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Yetmgeta attended boarding school where he acquired the nickname “scientist” because he enjoyed working with his hands. He attended the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in Addis Ababa and has taught at the school since 1978. When he opened his first one-man show to the public it consisted of a mixture of canvas, skin and wood, and it was such a success that half of his art works were sold at the exhibition itself.
To date, Yetmgeta has received international success and is recognized as a contemporary creative genius. He has received awards to include 1st Prize, All Ethiopian School, Addis Ababa, 1958 Represented Ethiopia in the 4th Havana Biennial in 1991, themed The Challenge of Colonization Awarded the prestigious Prix de la Biennale at Dak’ Art 1992, and 2nd prize at the Kenyan Art Panorama, French Cultural Center, Nairobi, 1994.
Yetmgeta’s work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally and he has works in a number of European and American museum collections, as well as in many private collections.
Yared Olivelli
Yared Olivelli was brn in 1985. He graduated from the Addis Ababa University School of Fine Arts and Design in Graphics Art in 2010.
Since 2010, he has been working as an instructor at the School of Fine Arts and Design of Addis Ababa University. Yared’s works have been featured in solo and group exhibitions in Addis Ababa and other countries.
These include:
2004 Red Cross Hall Dessie
2005 Adama
2007 Makush Art Gallery- Addis Ababa
2008 Lalibela Exhibition Center
2008 “Listro” School of Fine Arts Gallery with international artists in Addis Ababa and Germany
2009 at US Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tibebe Terffa
He was born in the walled city of Harar, Ethiopia in 1948. He studied at the Addis Ababa School of Fine Art from where he graduating painting in 1973. During the school years (1970-1973), Tibebe and his friends formed the sixteen Young Artist’s Association that aimed at staging exhibitions around the country. Tibebe worked as an art instructor at the Medhanealem Comprehensive School Harar from 1973 until 1980. In 1981 he moved to Addis Ababa, and worked as an illustrator for Kuraz Publishing House until 1983. Since 1984 he has been working as a studio artist from his residence in Addis Ababa. Since 1981 he has numerous solo exhibition in Ethiopia, Germany (Berlin), Canada (Winnipeg, Toronto), USA (Washington), Spain (Madrid).
Nebat Yousuf
I am Nebat Yousuf a 34 years old and a mother of three. I am born and raised in Addis Ababa. I have bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Masters degree in Business leadership. From early age, I have a passion for hand made art and crafts. I started painting on clay pots and gradually started to paint abstract arts on canvases. Currently I do paintings on both pots and canvases. In the future I would like to open a studio, which includes canvas arts, clay pot arts, and architectural studio.
Muluken Debebe
Muluken Debebe devotes himself to portraying dreamlike images, drawing from his imagination and past experiences. His dramatic and highly idealized paintings are often anchored on humans, horses and other creatures confronting death.
Debebe was born in 1978, in Metehara, Ethiopia. He pursued his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design of Addis Ababa University in 2003 to 2006. From 2007 to 2010, he taught painting, Color Theory and Composition as an Assistant Lecturer at the Entoto Technical and Vocational Training College of Fine Arts. He currently serves as the Chair of Visual Arts and Graphic Communication at the Debebe’s work has been exhibited throughout Addis Ababa.
Meron Ermias
Born in 1985 in A.A Ethiopia Meron Ermias currently a full-time artist at A.A named by Mery Art Studio. Her art education consists of two well know institutions, the Russian center for Science and culture in Art Studies Where She graduated in 2002 and she graduated from A.A University Alle School of fine Art and design in Extension class 2004.
Meron is confident and proud of her work when asked to rate her work form one to ten,ten being the best, she put herself around 8.She is a successful artist and has Sold many of her art works. She won and participated in Geneva for female artist competition.
Her work has been seen at A.A Hilton Hotel, Sheraton Hotel (4 times),Tayetu Hotel, Sidam lodge (3 times),Ethiopia National Museum, Juventus Club, Africa Vacation club, Geneve-Switzerland, Maki Art gallery, National Museum, Radisson Hotel, Hyatt regency Hotel, skylight Hotel and in 2013 AWIB Women of Excellence in Sheraton it’s been sold one of the best Art work sold by auction and USA Washington DC Ethiopian embassy and Walter E.Washington convention center and many more.
Meron Ermias has been fortunate to have Vast Media exposure for her work having been featured in Amharic publications ,Addis Zemen and Rose Magazine, Ethio channel, Senedk Magazine and as well as on ETV 120 program (2 times) EBS and World Intellectual property organization(WIPO) web/sit etc.
Leykun Girma
He was born on 31st March of 1981, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He is a contemporary artist currently residing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He earned a diploma from ETVET college specialized by painting and also get a certificate from Addis Ababa university of Fine arts and bachelor degree from Ethiopian Orthodox Thewahedo Holy Trinity Theological University College. His main media concentration is painting. He has built a small following of patrons from his work of art. His art work is very personal to him. Sometimes He is influenced as an artist by his personal experiences, other time his work of art is a result of his limitless imagination and creativity. He place high standards upon himself and his works. Most of the time he experimented a various technique in his studio. Over the years, He had participated in several group and solo art exhibition.
Selected Group Exhibition
2003 In Pushkin /Russian Cultural Center/ 2004 In Habesha Art Gallery
2005 In Habesha Art Gallery
2007 In Aliance Ethio-Francaise
2007 In Addis Ababa University Of Fine Arts & Design
2008 In Timeret Le-Hiwot Ethiopia Association Art Gallery
2008 In ECA And UNISCO Entitle“Addis Ababa Art Exhibition For Ethiopian Millennium”
2009 In Entoto Technical And Vocational Training College Fine Arts Art Gallery
2010 In The Second Branch Of Habesha Art Gallery In Haile G/Selasse Hotel In Hawasa
2010 Cartoon Art Exhibition in Timeret Le-Hiwot Ethiopia Association Art Gallery
2011 Cartoon Art Exhibition in Nikat Art Gallery
2011 In Ethiopia National Theater Art Gallery
2011 In Sheraton Addis In titule “Art of Ethiopia 2011”
2012 In Ethiopia National Museum Art Gallery Intitule “Yetibeb Ashara”
2012 In Hamburg, Germany In titule “Free Art Felega II”
Kidist Berhane
Kidist was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After completing her high school education, she attended and graduated in painting from Alle School of Fine Arts and Design Addis Ababa University in 2004. Since then, she has been working as a studio artist. So far, she has participated in a total of 16 domestic and international exhibitions, both solo and in groups. Outside her country, she has displayed her paintings, with two other women artists in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2012. The exhibition was organized by WIPO and Ethiopian government. Moreover, she has exhibited her works in Doha, Qatar several times.
Her paintings are found in the hands of many individuals, diplomats and collectors in many countries like USA, Holland, Dubai, Germany, France, South Africa, United kingdom, Spain and Italy.
Her paintings mainly focus on the daily life of Ethiopian women and culture of the nations and nationalities of Southern Ethiopia, such as the Hammer and Mursi people. So many people know her by the chicken paintings which she use them as a metaphor to express her ideas. She uses chickens to express life in many aspects, especially social and political injustice.
She has also a lot of works under the themes of Freedom and identity.
Her paintings are mostly realistic, semi abstract and decorative. She uses oil on canvas and sometimes acrylic.
At different times, her art works have been given coverage on some news papers and digital media.
Apart from her daily studio work, she also participates in social activities and professional associations like the following.
1. She is a founding member and was member of the executive body of Ethiopian Visual Artists Association. EVAA for short.
2. She is also a member of Association of Ethiopian women Artists. She also participates in activities of Ethiopian Intellectual Property organizations particularly those targeting Art.
3. She is also a member of Association of women in Business. AWiB in Ethiopia.
4. Member of Middle-East Art Silk Painters Society. Doha-Qatar.