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Dispatches from Limbo, a group exhibition, opened this weekend at LeLa Gallery, one of the few contemporary art galleries to open doors after the COVID-19 pandemic caused businesses to close. Behailu Bezabih, Dawit Abebe, Eyob Kitaba, Henok Melkamzer, Nahom Teklehaimanot, Tamrat Gezahegne and Tewodros Hagos came together to present an exhibition of new and old works.
Of course, Addis Fine Art has been open since September, featuring the paintings of the talented Selome Muleta and Fendika Art Gallery is gearing up for a new exhibition opening this week, but this will be the first show in Addis Ababa for all 7 artists.
“We are all, all over the world, incredulous at the changes in our lives. As a pandemic sweeps the world, millions of dead, millions more infected, fear of death, thoughts of illness are paramount and many of us live in a state of limbo ”, said Lilly Sahle, director of LeLa Gallery and curator of this exhibition. in his opening speech. He added: “Like many others, a form of paralysis set in, not knowing how to react, feeling dumbfounded as we all navigated this unexplored territory. I had to consider reopening and what that would mean. When I called the artists participating in this show I was not sure how they would react, but they were all eager to do something. Moving forward, finding a new way to continue living, finding peace and beauty amid disruption is our only way forward. “
Lilly has brought together the great names of Ethiopian art to display their works and offer a respite from the last months of stasis. The art scene received a well-deserved breath of fresh air when artists who hadn’t seen each other in several months and those of us who have missed art exhibitions got together. As for why all the artists in this group show were men, Lilly replied, “We will do women next time. These artists seemed to work better together. ”
Behailu Bezabih anticipated new work mainly motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic. One especially poignant piece shows a man holding a flashlight, leading a chaos of ambulances. He commented: “My work is about our current situation. It’s true. We all look for a solution and that is where life is. Everything that is happening is not just about us, it is a global phenomenon. ”
According to Behailu, this painting was inspired by a particular incident near their home where an ambulance was unable to locate the sick person’s home at night and a man had to guide them with a flashlight. Behailu often chooses highly relevant moments, events, or ideas as entry points to explore the ways in which society is affected by subtle details and nuances. He has adopted a simple drawing technique and soft colors to capture and tame adrenaline-pumping moments.
Behailu worked on these pieces during the stay at home. “This is not an easy time. Your spirit must be free to work and be productive. The life of artists is not how it used to be. “
Dawit Abebe’s works in the exhibition are older pieces from 2004 and 2005 that serve as a reminder of his origins, the social criticism that gripped him from the beginning and has spread throughout his work. Henok Melkamzer’s intricate Telsem drawings made in painstaking detail are both calming and fascinating, talismans of a more hopeful age. Nahom Teklehaimanot’s debut market scenes are accurate depictions of life as we knew it. The beautiful portraits of Tewodros Hagos in his trademark style are familiar cues reminiscent of the comfort that art brings in difficult times.
Two pieces by Eyob Kitaba Consumption The series are also included in this exhibition. Juxtaposing locally used products with globalization and capitalism and with a special focus on Chinese products and their proliferation in Africa, these mixed media pieces on metal are a study of power and identity, especially as global consumerism creates monolithic cultural elements. “We can see that power is being exercised. Signs are all over town. We feel that something is happening. My work can be a way of questioning our existence, our identity as Ethiopians or as Africans ”, he pointed out.
These pieces are part of a conversation about Ethiopian history, global capitalism, and consumer culture. They were produced while staying at home, and Eyob says the COVID-19 pandemic gave him a lot to think about. “It gave me the opportunity to read a lot, think and work on these and other pieces. This pandemic has made me question, hope and worry about the way we live, “he said. Eyob’s previous work focused on urbanization and displacement.
Tamrat Gezahegn’s Ornament in iconic style is another element of this group show. Produced specifically for this exhibition, Ornament it is a technicolor interpretation of body decorations. Ornaments have historically been used as beauty markers or applied for healing and protective purposes. However, the description of Tamrat is neon and futuristic. The contours seem to trace the landscape of the body as well as the physical terrain of the earth.
Tamrat made it through the pandemic by staying home working in the studio space he shares with two artists in Piassa and touring the city on the green bike from his 2017 show Waiting at LeLa Gallery. He also spent time painting and designing the recently renovated interior performance space and exterior area of the Fendika Cultural Center. “Of course we felt the initial panic when there were reports of new infections and deaths, but we finally adjusted. Fendika was a private place for us. It wasn’t a bad moment for me, ”says Tamrat. He also had an exhibition in Holland in August; therefore, it has been a busy period for Tamrat.
Limbo offices it doesn’t feel like limbo. The artworks carry no hint of the stress and confusion of the months spent at home and it’s likely that the artists were experimenting at some point during the pandemic. Seeing this exhibit feels comforting and hopeful, familiar in the best way.
