Dereje Demissie, Untitled, 2025
Moving fluidly between figuration and abstraction, Dereje's practice is rooted in Ethiopian aesthetics and landscape. The forests and mountainous landscapes he explored in his formative years are the foundation of the artist's visual language. Integrating the geometric patterns of African visual traditions with the proportions and stylizations of Western artistic conventions, Dereje has developed a distinct style.
Dereje’s latest works demonstrate a heightened engagement with plastic elements—bold colour intensity, the controlled dissection of the picture plane, and the residual presence of landscapes and figures. His practice is defined by a tension between structure and spontaneity, yielding works that are at once dreamlike, uncanny, and formally rigorous.
Dereje Demissie (b. 1982) earned a Diploma in Mural Art in 2002 and a BFA in Painting in 2012 from Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Art and Design. His work has been showcased in numerous local and international exhibitions, including at the National Museum of Ethiopia (2014), Modern Art Museum Gebre Kristos Desta Center (2022), and Urevbu Contemporary (2023). He relocated to the United States in 2016, where he has continued his artistic practice. Alongside his studio work, he serves as an art instructor at Carpe Diem Arts, an organisation dedicated to enriching communities through the arts.
Dereje’s latest works demonstrate a heightened engagement with plastic elements—bold colour intensity, the controlled dissection of the picture plane, and the residual presence of landscapes and figures. His practice is defined by a tension between structure and spontaneity, yielding works that are at once dreamlike, uncanny, and formally rigorous.
Dereje Demissie (b. 1982) earned a Diploma in Mural Art in 2002 and a BFA in Painting in 2012 from Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Art and Design. His work has been showcased in numerous local and international exhibitions, including at the National Museum of Ethiopia (2014), Modern Art Museum Gebre Kristos Desta Center (2022), and Urevbu Contemporary (2023). He relocated to the United States in 2016, where he has continued his artistic practice. Alongside his studio work, he serves as an art instructor at Carpe Diem Arts, an organisation dedicated to enriching communities through the arts.