I paint from my own experiences, from what is relatable to me…the women in my paintings are always the heroes, I want to celebrate them.
In Ethiopia, women vendors are often overlooked and marginalized, despite being the backbone of the market. Their struggles are perpetuated by societal perceptions of their stature. Challenging these norms, Tadesse Mesfin's solo exhibition, "Where We Coalesce," currently on view at Addis Fine Art (until November 30, 2024), seeks to reframe the narrative surrounding Ethiopian women.
Through his works, Tadesse portrays them as active agents shaping their environment, rather than passive observers. In our conversation, he shares the inspiration behind his art and the message he hopes viewers take away: recognizing the vital role women play in daily life.
Art Report Africa: What inspired you to focus on the theme of women vendors in your latest solo exhibition "Where We Coalesce?”
Tadesse Mesfin: Women vendors are the focus of my work, because they are the often forgotten pillars of society. The energy and vibrancy of the market place is kept alive by their work and their craft. It is not often that they get the recognition they deserve. In my home in Addis Ababa, the marketplace is the heart of the city and it is a place where people meet to socialise, trade and make things. In markets all across Ethiopia, the space is central to the everyday lives of people. There is a lot of movement here, smells, sights, sounds, everything is in motion and nothing is still. The composure and pride of the women at markets is very inspiring to me and I want to highlight the work they do. They have become my symbols; they help me to create meaning.
ARA: The series of works for this exhibition are from the last four years. Can you describe your creative process when developing them and the techniques you employed?
TM: The human figure has been central to the history of art and always will be – the pose, the face, and the dynamism of the body, all capture a part of human nature. So for me, this is a starting point for my work. The marketplace is a good place to capture this essence of human life because there you can find texture, colour, light, movement, and everything that works well in a painting.
ARA: You mentioned that the human figures in your paintings echo Amharic script. Why the need for this form of exploration and how does this connection create a level of depth to your compositions?
TM: In the Ethiopian modernist tradition, script is very important. It conveys meaning beyond just the words. And for me, the figures in my paintings fill a similar role, they are able to create life from how they are posed, how they relate to each other and how they look at you. So for me, the connection to script enhances this ability for the figures to make meaning themselves. The women in my paintings are always the heroes, I want to celebrate them.
ARA: Why do you believe it is important to elevate the portrayal of everyday figures, especially the lives of Ethiopian women in your work?
TM: I paint from my own experiences, from what is relatable to me. When I first developed my style, I would often paint outdoors looking out to the markets and the streets. And now my city is a great inspiration for my work. I want to capture the feel of life around me.
ARA: How has your personal journey from being a professor at the Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Arts and Design, to painting cinema posters, to becoming a renowned artist influenced your artistic voice?
TM: My first experience with creating art was when I first moved to Addis Ababa with my family as a child. My job was to paint posters for the local cinema hall, and it was through doing this that a teacher at the Alle School of Arts spotted me and gave me a place at the school. During my time in art school, I was exposed to many different kinds of art – Expressionism, Figuration, Western art, Soviet art and all different kinds. It was an opportunity to experiment with different styles and mediums.
After the Derg came to power in 1974, there were some difficulties and opportunities for young artists like myself. Many found it difficult to continue working under the heavy censorship, but I was able to take advantage of the cultural programmes that became available in the USSR. I earned a scholarship to study at one of Russia’s most prestigious art schools, the Leningrad Academy of Painting, Architecture and Sculpture, and I spent nearly a decade in Russia working on my practice. I was inspired by the raw realist style of the contemporary Russian artists, yet remained attached to my homeland. My style grew a lot during this time. The connections between Coptic iconography in Russia and Ethiopia became a bridge which enabled me to adopt Soviet techniques into my practice.
When I returned to Ethiopia later in my career, my style changed again as I attempted to reclaim African techniques in my work. I studied Ethiopian history and Christian iconography deeply, and also began to learn about West African masks. It became a challenge for me to make something like an ‘Ethiopian mask’ in my works. The face appears more and more in this time, as I grappled with these new motifs and how to bring them together with my other influences. Abstraction, too, became a new means to express myself that was distinct from my training in socialist realism.
ARA: What do you hope viewers will experience when they see your works displayed for the exhibition?
TM: I hope people have an emotional response to the artworks and that they will come back to visit them again and again. I want to convey the feeling of life and movement that makes people want to return.
ARA: After this exhibition, what themes or subjects are you excited to explore in your future works?
TM: For the most part, I want to continue to explore and elaborate on my current theme, as the works are not yet finalised. I would like to do more figurative works using abstraction to simplify and modify the human form. I will resume working on contemporary themes, while incorporating alphabetically realistic compositions in my works.
In the meantime, I have started working on some experimental works, such as exploring (1) academic study, (2) Figurative art forms, (3) Abstract art using simplification and modification of natural forms.
ABOUT TADESSE MESFIN
Tadesse Mesfin (b. 1953) developed his love of painting during his childhood following his family's move to Addis Ababa, when he started work at a cinema hall painting posters for movies. At the age of fifteen, he enrolled in an art school in the Ethiopian capital, and after five years of study he went on to Russia to complete his Masters of Fine Art at the Leningrad Academy of Painting, Architecture, and Sculpture. It was here that he synthesised the stoicism of Soviet social realism with his interest in West African masks and symbols.
He has also continued to nourish his Ethiopian influences throughout his career, and his research on Coptic iconography and Ethiopian history remains a significant source of inspiration for his practice. Tadesse Mesfin was a professor at the Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Arts and Design from 1984 to 2019, and has taught and mentored many of Ethiopia's renowned contemporary artists, including Merikokeb Berhanu and Tesfaye Urgessa.
His work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in London, Addis Ababa, New York, Stockholm, Lagos, Dubai, and Johannesburg
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