Moments of Change: Tesfaye Bekele

Tesfaye Bekele grapples with the enormous and subtle power of nature, seasonal changes serving as metaphor for lived experience. The transformation of weather mirrors the realities of bodily limitation and resilience central to Bekele's work. Color and texture shift across the surfaces, reflecting how time is felt physically rather than measured uniformly.

Tesfaye captures the sensual elements of grass, flowers or leaves,
from smell to visual vibrancy, through repeated dots and layered lines that give the impression of landscapes, aerial maps or constellations. Executed in acrylic paint on canvas and textiles, the use of fabric directly references the body's vulnerability, physical effort and the necessity of care.

Tesfaye Bekele (1982) grew up in Addis Ababa and graduated from the Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in Art Education in 2010. Bekele currently teaches at the School of Fine Arts, and his work has been included in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Japan and Germany.

Text by Hiwot Abebe