Esseye G. Medhin: The History of 20th Century Ethiopian Art

Tsehai Publishers hosted a lecture series on 5 March 2014 that opened with Kibrom A. Birhane, a gifted pianist who plays a wide range of World, Ethiopian Jazz and Afro Fusion. After the piano performance, Esseye G. Medhin, founder of the Debre Hayq Ethiopian Art Foundation, gave a lecture that covered Ethiopian art history from 1900 to the 21st century. He provided a chronological overview of the modernization of Ethiopian paintings. Medhin focused on “Gibbe and Arada painters” and the impact of photography on their approach to the illusionistic creation of space. 

In his discussion he mentioned the impact of the Western world on African culture and the cultural shock that appeared in the artwork. The audience was able to learn about the various forms of painting and discover how each form of art depicts a new message on cultural shifts in Africa; artworks each unique style with its vibrant colors has its own story and voice. Medhin later explained the importance of producing art for not only the artist but for the world the artist is presenting to. He carefully explored the artistic contribution of formally educated modern painters for the advancement of modern Ethiopian art by the artists he dubbed “Addis Zemen.” 

Medhin also discussed the reaction of Zemenay (Modernist artists) to the Addis Zemen art and how the their art gave way to the Zemenay art, which in turn, led to the painters of the revolution. At the end of his presentation, he examined and discussed  Contemporary Art and Diaspora artists. The Q&A section of the evening fostered many discussions with individuals eager to learn more about Medhin and his work with African artwork and inspired others to dig deeper into African culture. The lecture definitely painted a new picture of Africa. 

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Danielle Irvin is an intern at Tsehai Publishers and can be contacted at dirvin1@lion.lmu.edu.

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