Photo exhibition on ‘New York
Landmarks’ opens at City Hall
By Mina Yirga
The US embassy has organized a photo exhibiton under “Landmarks of New York” at Addis Ababa City Hall to mark the 40th anniversary of the New York city landmark reservation law.
The photographs were representation of the 1,100 landmarks designated in all 5 boroughs from 1965 through 2005. The historic landmarks were built from 1940-67.
An illustrated record of the city’s historic buildings were made by Barbera Lee Diamonstein Spielvogel, a collection of more than 40 photographers works who have captured the history and the sky line of New York city.
According to Mrs. Patrice Johnson, Cultural Affairs Officer, the preservation law was enacted in reaction to the loss of some of New York’s historical and cultural monuments. Since the passage of the law, nearly 23,000 structures have been protected.
“Cultural preservation is now part of our diplomatic efforts. Though a program that is called the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural preservation the Department of State has assisted over 100 countries in preserving their cultural history. These projects range form preservation of archeological, tourist destinations and museum collections to documentation of indigenous dance.”
The Yeha template,oldest monument in sub Saharan Africa, Guzara castle, Sheik Nur Husen shrine and the cultural consolidation of Hager Fiker Theater were beneficiaries of the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation support from 2002-06.
The Mayor and other invited guests attended the opening of the photo exhibition.
The photo exhibition will move to Rimbaud exhibition Hall in Harar Jugol(from January 24 to 28) and to Fasiledes Palace in Gonder (from February 9 to 14).
‘Duka’: Millennium art exhibition
By Mina Yirga
The 260 days left for the new Ethiopian millennium has sparked an idea in 40 aspiring artists to make 60 of their paintings come to life.
“We are fortunate enough to live to see the new century. We came together to put our footprints in Ethiopian history” say the artists.
As their millennium project plan, they have also started building a 15 meter tall ‘gate’ symbolizing leaving the old and passing into the new. “The gate monument is our sign of what went before in the history of this generation. Millennium is a new hope for all.”
Apart from this a mixed medium way of painting has been used by the artists.
“Each has brought his own contribution; it can be their three days work up to seven years of collections. The important thing is that we have worked as one. It took us four days to mount the paintings into the present exhibit. Each piece has to be arranged relatively to its coherent theme.”
As their long term plan, the united artists would like to form an association which will begin by studying contemporary Ethiopian art. 50% of the exhibit income goes to the formation of the association.
“We feel that there is a huge gap between the artist and society. The messages conveyed through paintings are usually considered as vague to the spectator. Further more, we want to reach out to the impaired, the outcast and all that have not got the opportunity to come and see such works. We want to teach them how to express their feelings through art so that they can get art therapy. We want to bring about change in society because we believe art can make a difference.”
Ethio jazz fusion
By Mina Yirga
The Nadav Haber Quartet was formed in early 2006, with the intention of playing Ethiopian music in jazz style, and with an emphasis on improvisation and rhythmic energy. The group is built in the pattern of the classic jazz quartet – a tenor saxophone, piano, bass and drums, with occasional guest singers and other instrumentalists.
In July 2006, the quartet recorded its first album “Addis Mist” – a live performance in a jazz club in Jerusalem in front of a cheering and supportive crowd. The album is based on traditional Ethiopian melodies, as well as original tunes based on Ethiopian scale and rhythm. The quartet have come to Ethiopia to share the Ethio-Jazz fusion and performed a concert at the Italian Culture Institute yesterday. Capital’s reporter Mina Yirga spent some time with the group
A forced exile
The tribulations of trade
imbalance victims
By Tsion Aklilu
‘...Citizens who live in underprivileged
countries are mostly victims of
the imbalance in world trade…’
In a country like Ethiopia, good governance is vital in building a just and sustainable future. However, without the participation and interaction of citizens it is ‘a failure to launch’. Taking this into consideration, Initiative Africa, a not-for-profit organization, collaborating with Cineteca di Bologna, has organized the Addis Film Festival. It aims to open a forum for discussion and exchange of information. The themes of the festival are Globalization and Migration issues that are troubling the world.
Ato Kebour Ghenna, President of Initiative Africa, said at a press conference held before the festival opened at Hilton Hotel that this festival is the first of its kind which aims to inform citizens about how globalization and migration are being fence yards of achieving a just and sustainable future. Citizens who live in underprivileged countries are mostly victims of the imbalance in world trade that lead individuals or groups to take action to end up leaving one’s country.
“Globalization is the imbalance of world trade; it more and more destroys cultural, biological, economical and social diversity,” stated Ato Kebour. Taking Senegal as an example, he also explained how migration is becoming a tragic occurrence; in Senegal, people try to go abroad by boat to Spain, crossing the Mediterranean with many dying in the process.
As the theme of the festival ‘Just and sustainable future’ makes it clear, the films selected fit the aim and agenda of the event. At this international festival, however, film was not the only medium chosen as it included a four day cartoon exhibition and a workshop on the impact of film in society. The event is not only about the cultural and social incident; rather it is an inspiration towards a just and sustainable future. Ato Kebour stressed the point by adding that the event “is not only about a film festival, it is about raising issues that concern Ethiopia, Africa and the developing world in particular.”
The festival is expected to be an annual event with the aim of raising different social topics.
Eight films were presented from various countries including Ethiopia. So far, seven have been screened with one expected to be on screen at the closing of the festival. The films presented are from Cineteca di Bologna and free of charge.
Venus painter’s ‘Meklit’
Where would the artist be without his muse? Hard to imagine and even almost impossible to conjure when the artist in question is none other than the inimitable Lulseged Retta, for whom all women and womanhood are his muses.
Lulseged’s latest exhibition opened Monday, January 5, 2007 at the Sheraton Addis with 37 extraordinary works on display including a few on loan from private collectors. ‘Meklit’ (God –given talent) as the show is entitled, is an intensely personal expression of the venerable artist.
“Everybody has a particular gift. It is up to each of us to identify what it is and use it. I am grateful that I recognize mine. That’s why I named the show ‘Meklit’. It expresses me,” explains the artist.
The paintings are even more vibrant than his previous works and not at all surprisingly, women are prominent.
Perhaps the most captivating piece is the ‘Spirit of Astair’- Lulseged’s homage to Ethiopia’s greatest ever female vocalist - Astair Aweke. The image of swirling skirts creates a sense of motion and you can almost feel the canvas come alive.
The choice of brighter color is a reflection of his stated happier self.
“Colors reflect your state of mind at a certain time,” says Lulseged, “the bright colors give me peace and love.”
He has a particular love for Astair’s music including the lyrics and her stagecraft. He had always wanted to portray her movement on stage on his canvas.
Other works on display are ‘Jazz’ and a large piece entitled ‘Harar’. The latter is an intense labor of love depicting Harari women. Graceful, slender and fiercely proud, the mosaic is a powerful fusion of color.
In another vibrant piece Lulseged has managed to cross a difficult divide between tasteful nudity and obscenity. Women being his central theme – he has done justice to the female form of which he is certainly a master.
The artist is scheduled to travel to florida in the coming week to exhibit his work. Lulseged Retta extended his heartfelt thanks to the Sheraton Hotel and especially the general manager Mr. J.P. Manigoff for the invaluable cooperation and custodianship of the artwork. Sheraton patrons will remember the Lulseged paintings in the Office Bar and other areas.
Lulseged Retta was voted Best Artist of 2002 in Capital’s annual readership poll.
Just and sustainable future
Cartoon exhibition @ ICC
By Tsion Aklilu
Initiative Africa presented a cartoon exhibition on a just and sustainable future at the Italian Cultural Center (ICC) from January 8-12, 2007.
The exhibition was to inform by way of entertaining the public on the social chaos, economical constraints and imbalance of world trade.
Four young cartoonists each contributed ten of their works at the exhibition. The topics they raised were the destruction of the environment, migration and last but not least the impact of globalization. The cartoons were provocative and served to raise awareness on the issues.
The cartoonists were Berhanu Ashagrie, Henok Demessie, Elias Areda and Capital’s very own Roman Tadesse. All are graduates of AAU School of Fine Arts and Design and have extensive experience in drawing cartoons for newspapers, and magazines and have displayed their work at several exhibitions.
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