Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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The business of ART

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A forum dubbed ‘Media and the arts’ was conducted on May 1, during the exhibition of Tesfahun Kibru collection. The discussion that gathered journalists and artists focused on how the media can support the art as a business.
The event that saw opinions from artists and journalists also lights up how the art industry can be supported by the media in promoting its values. Seyoum Ayalew president of the Ethiopian Painters and Sculptors Association said that a policy should be ratified in order to support the art. ‘If we have a policy that guides us in the right direction, why can’t the art sector boom?’ questions Seyoum.
‘Art has a powerful influence to change society and with we can change many things that are happening around’ Seyoum added.
He also said that previously art pieces were used as a collateral for loans but they are not anymore. “Art pieces that hang in some banks were used as a collateral, but now it will be a joke if you go with your art pieces to the bank for loan.’
Gossa G. Oda who is an art lover and founder of Netsa Art Village said that the government should help the sector by giving a space for artists. ‘The government should allocate plots all over the country for artists to express their feeling freely. This will help the art to be more dynamic’ he said.
Alemayehu Seifesellasie who was a long time journalist at the Reporter and The sub Saharan Informer shared his views on how to report art stories. He said that the media is not that much interested in covering art events happening in the country. “The sad reality is, locally, the art is neglected, it is not given the coverage it deserves” he said.
Teguest Yilma Managing Editor of Capital Newspaper, in her opening speech said that art is multi-million dollar industry around the world. ‘Globally the arts and culture sector is worth billions of dollars. It is a sector, if correctly invested in, has the potential to become a huge driver of the economy; just like tourism’ she said.
‘Besides its economical advantage, the sector also offers many opportunities for the development of children, youth and communities’ she added.
According to the United Nations, Culture has the power to transform entire societies, strengthen local communities and forge a sense of identity and belonging for people of all ages.
Tesfahun Kibru’s exhibition officially opened on Friday March 20, 2018. The exhibition that is being held at Yucca House located in Bole Rwanda was visited by artists, art enthusiasts and the diplomatic community.
Tesfahun is well known for creating something amazing out of everyday things that people tend to consider trash such as metal scraps and discarded plastic. His work, unusual, in many people’s eyes, has left its own identity in the local art scene.
The exhibition featured different types of metal sculptures, paintings that used rust as paint and works of art that incorporates tire and rubber and will come to an end today May 6.
While the exhibition celebrated the 10th anniversary of Netsa Art Village, the Media and the Arts forum also saw the celebration of Capital Newspaper’s 20th Anniversary celebration. Capital, throughout its 20 years of existence has always supported the arts and culture sector.
“One of Capital’s missions is to promote societal values which include different forms of artistic expressions” concluded Teguest.

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