The so-called internet of things (IoT), along with big data, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, continue to shape the future of artistic practice the world over and not only in the U.S. and Europe, which have tended to be the focus of most digital art surveys. In this fast-digitizing landscape, a new generation of African artists have emerged who are using digital technology as their canvas to create art and to disseminate their work.
This generation of artists embracing digital art are at the vanguard of aesthetic innovation, creating artwork that explores socioeconomic and political realities, collective memories, and the diversity of experiences on the continent and in its diaspora. To survey these artists, ARTnews has selected 10 who offer immersive digital art experiences of note. Capital picked the two Ethiopian featured.
Fanuel Leul
In Leul’s artworks, traditional African elements like face painting, head crowns, cloth patterns, beads, masks, drums and calabashes are contrasted with futuristic technologies. The Ethiopian artist’s work is characterized by Afrofuturistic themes centering on joy and peace. His aim is to debunk stereotypical myths about a continent that has often gone misrepresented—works such as “Beautiful Heirloms” depict the essence of preserving
memory through traditional storytelling, a practice he describes as “inheritance used as a vehicle to preserve shared values and collective experience for future generations.” Even with a B.F.A. from Addis Ababa’s Alle School of Fine Arts & Industrial Design, Leul describes himself as a self-taught artist. (Nevertheless, in his digital artworks, a strong knowledge of color theory and a comprehensive understanding of design principles is evident.) Ultimately, Leul seeks to inspire African artists to own agency of their narratives.
Yatreda
Co-founded by Kiya Tadele and based in Ethopia, Yatreda is an artist collective whose work seeks to explore the intersection between art and digital technology with an aim of celebrating and archiving Ethiopian history on the blockchain as part of their NFT portfolio. Their first NFT Project Kingdoms of Ethiopia sought to raise awareness about Ethiopian traditional culture with stunning motion portraits that deeply captured the traditional stories of Kings, warriors and kingdoms. Also, their most recent NFT project titled “Strong Hair” comprises of a collection of 100 lopping motion portraits that celebrate the diversity of traditional African hairstyles including the Afros, the shaved patterns and the unique braids that are disappearing. The collective is using their crypto art as a way to help others and themselves rediscover their identity and pride.
Ethiopian artists using technology as their canvas
Is the Center Holding?
By Samuel Estefanous
Ever since Yeats had penned ‘The Second Coming’ years ago, a number of scholars, essayists, journalists and politicians have quoted a verse or two from the poem to make some strong points alluding to a looming communal anarchy. Chinua Achebe has made the poem famous in Africa in his book ‘Things Fall Apart’ in the wake of the independence of African Nations from European colonizers.
“The falcon cannot hear the falconer”
“Things fall apart the Center cannot hold”
“Mere anarchy is loosed up on the world”
Reads the poem in part.
In our own country, finding ourselves in whirl of an incomprehensible circle of bestial violence, avarice and unabashed state capture, we are tempted to inquire ‘is the Center holding?’ Are we drifting apart or trying to converge on the Center?
This isn’t just about the government. As a society, under normal circumstances, we are pulled to the Center. When the Center holds we feel secure; we have the leisure to dress down the government and those in power-both elected and assumed, even if we might end up behind bars for the liberty.
Ironic as it may sound, in a way it is our sense of security and belongingness that gives us the right or the sense of entitlement to hold “the power that be” to account. On some level it is indeed a blessing to have a government to run down if not to hold to account.
Unfortunately unlike established Western democracies, in the developing world when the government loses grip on the Center, it precipitates a chain reaction that results in the crumbling of the center of gravity that holds together or brings together different segments of the society.
After the government of Prime Minister Charles Michel collapsed in December 2018, Belgium lasted without a government for a record 592 days. But all along the Center was holding without any noticeable hitch or hiccup. It is true, prior to Belgium Iraq had lasted for 290 days without an elected government. But the latter hardly lasted in a meaningful sense of the word as it was wallowing in a virtual state of chaos and anarchy.
Here, we need to mark the difference between the West and the developing world. In the West when the pundits speak of the absence of government, they meant a democratically elected government of the people for the people by the people. They wouldn’t bestow the honor and distinction of ‘government’ to a care taker one or to a usurped power that actually leads a given nation. Otherwise while Belgium was said to have been going without a government for a record 592 days, the former Prime Minister was running the affair of the government on regular day to day basis.
Little seems to change that affects the public- when the Center is securely holding -with or without the existence of a government. It actually appears that increasingly government is becoming less relevant. Thus, societies in the Western democracies have the luxury to demand ‘less government and less taxation.’ Incidentally it makes one wonder, what the West would ‘peddle around’ if government is becoming thus less important in their part of the World as the appetite for democracy equally diminishes in the absence of the need for any kind of strong central government.
No wonder while vote rigging by the incumbent governments is singled out as a threat to democracy in Africa, voter apathy is enfeebling Western democracy.
On the contrary, in our part of the world the absence of a government is synonymous with the collapse of the Nation. Unlike Western Democracies, we don’t so much demand a strong government as we crave for it. Considering the overwhelming power a government is wielding over the public, democracy is more important to the developing world than to the West where authorities have become enfeebled. When we elect a government in to power, like it or hate it, we are handing over the sword of Damocles to be held over our heads knowing the cold fact that we cannot last a day without it. Here there is a total reversal of roles. The sword hangs over the head of the public not that of the King.
Team Obama was too dim witted to understand the correlation between a government and a Nation in the African and Middle Eastern context. When they had Qaddafi humiliated and murdered, they had near zero clue they were humiliating and killing an otherwise proud Nation. Obama and Co had assumed, with Qaddafi and his presumed thugs gone, institutions of government and the culture of governance would remain unaffected. This fatal misreading of history has cost Africa and the Arab world a Nation. That is why it is said one tends to compound Africa’s woes tenfold when he tries to fix a native African problem with a Soros Foundation tool kit. That was the impetus to launch the New Partnership for African Development back in 2001.
In part that is the reason an African head of government cannot afford to absent himself from public view for an extended period of time. That is why on the very day Emperor Menelik had succumbed to his illness, the elders of the Capital forced the heir apparent to play polo at Jan meda.
It looks like lately Prime Minister Abiy has chosen to cut down on his usual slot of public appearances. This apparent retreat from the limelight has provided cheap ammunition for the army of social media spin doctors and conspiracy theorists. That is hardly surprising. An unexplained absence of a prominent figure let alone the leader of a country gives rise to all sorts of wild speculations.
Nevertheless, be that as it may, when some apparently reputable politicians take this one single insignificant retreat for a conclusive evidence alleging the incapacitation of the Premier and suggest for a transitional leader to take over; it makes one wonder- is the enter holding? Even if the Premier isn’t in a position to run the affair of the government to his full capacity, the Constitution has firmly established the manner and power devolving sequences.
It is so unfortunate that, though we have a constitutional history spanning close to a century we have little to show for constitutionalism. If one looks up the meaning of Constitutionalism, he is certain to come across expressions like-pattern of thought and behavior, a way of life etc than the existence of some kind of Supreme Charter. In this context the Center is held by a compound of ideas and the will to belong to a common polity, not so much by authorities or the barrel of the gun.
By the by, Emperor Hailesilassie is reputed to have chided a famous reporter in strong terms when the latter wanted to know who would succeed him. He was right to chide the reporter. It wasn’t for the Emperor to speculate on Constitutional succession to the Imperial throne.
Giving allowances for the exigencies of the mutability of life, the Premier needs and uses all sorts of legitimate breaks from official duties. He might need a routine medical checkup or he might be enjoying a well deserved and long due vacation.
However the way his minimized appearance on media gave rise to wild speculation about the fall of the government, one is liable to assume the center isn’t holding in the eyes of the general public. The Center which is set to revolve around the person of the Premier and not the office of the Premier is increasingly looking like a chip of wood aimlessly drifting on the surface of a pond.
I have this feeling like the Premier did this on purpose to evoke and gauge all sorts of reactions beginning from the callous insensitive and rude smears to the prayer of the dear good old folks. Bottom line? The callous insensitive fringe elements needed him as well as the old women lining the walls of countless Churches in the country.
What makes this government even more fragile is it is founded on the singular and unique charisma and drive of the Premier and his handbook of governance titled Medmer. True, no one has the gut to deny the great effort continuously being exerted to transition the change from an individual to a Party and to government structures. But the nexus of the change- the ersho- remains uniquely personal. That is why this government needs to go the extra miles to cement the Center and avoid divisive statements and party line declaration.
As of old it is said a house divided cannot stand. I believe this is the Biblical verse Abraham Lincoln tried to employ more than any other to quell the rising storm of war.He did everything in his power to avoid the imminent and looming war. But he could neither avoid the war nor being called a fanatic by the South and an unprincipled weakling by the radical Abolitionists in the North. But he was able to help the Center to hold by rallying Americans behind the noble cause of the abolitionist north, a Center that has endured to date.
The Civil War did divide America right in the middle of it. A division that is lingering and noticeable to this day. Still in the South there are Confederate apologists waving the bar and star banner while the rest of the country loves to unfurl the star spangled banner every opportunity it has got.
A war President or Prime Minister is certain to be divisive, particularly when the war is being waged between and among different interest groups of a given polity. However that is hardly cause enough to contend the Center is crumbling. But it is certainly is an alarm call to mobilize the public and resources to save it by curbing the role and influence of the Party.
God Bless.
IIT Roorkee commemorates 175th year of foundation in Addis Ababa
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee commemorated its 175th year of foundation at Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa (9 August 2022). This event, while bringing its Ethiopian alumni together, featured several policy makers including those from the government and prominent universities of Ethiopia.
IIT Roorkee, formerly known as The Roorkee College was established in 1847 as the First Engineering College in the British Empire. The oldest engineering college in India is in its 175th year of establishment. In 2001, it became the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
Indian Ambassador Robert Shetkintong, President of Debre Tabor University Anegagregn Gashaw Ferede, senior government officials and senior representatives from the universities of Addis Ababa Science & Technology, Ambo, Arba Minch, Gondar, Haramaya and Wallaga attended the event. Deputy Director of IIT Roorkee Prof. M Parida and his colleagues travelled from India to organize the event.
FAO scales up procurement of fertilizers for Tigray
In Tigray, northern Ethiopia, FAO is scaling up the urgent procurement of fertilizers to help farmers sow their fields in the midst of the critical planting season thanks to a $10 million loan recently approved by the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
The loan, which forms part of resource partners’ commitments, is helping FAO to accelerate the procurement and delivery of crucial agricultural inputs to Tigray, particularly fertilizers, which must be delivered and applied by end of August 2022.
The provision of fertilizer will help restore the productive capacity of farmers in Tigray, where, as is the case in all regions affected by internal conflict, there has been widespread disruption of agricultural activities, elevated levels of acute food insecurity, and loss of livelihoods since November 2020.
“We are grateful to our resource partners, and to CERF for recognizing the need to act swiftly in supporting own food production in Tigray to avert the worrying levels of acute food insecurity,” said David Phiri, FAO Subregional Coordinator for eastern Africa and Representative for Ethiopia a.i.. “If farmers receive the inputs they need, they will be able to harvest and begin consuming this produce from October 2022. These harvests would cover their food needs for at least six months, and in the best case scenario, up to the next harvest for a significant proportion of the households, with surplus to sell,” he added.


