Addis Fine Art and Dereje Demissie present Whispers of Form, a solo exhibition moving fluidly between figuration and abstraction.
Dereje Demissie practices in Ethiopian aesthetics and landscape which mainly includes the forests and mountainous landscapes he explored in his formative artistic years. Integrating the geometric patterns of African visual traditions with the proportions and stylisations of Western artistic conventions, the artist has developed a distinct style.
Demissie’s latest works demonstrate a heightened engagement with plastic elements — such as 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.
Employing a brilliant spectrum of vivid color, Demissie’s compositions are bold and formally striking. His painting is greatly inspired by memories of growing up in Gullele, a suburb of Addis Ababa that was once renowned for its abundant flora and fauna.
Demissie considers the changes that urbanisation and government intervention, among other factors, have brought to his childhood home. Captivated by the relationship between humans and nature, Demisse argues that in much the same way that humans shape their environments, they are influenced by their surroundings. Demissie’s richly colorful paintings are reflections on the geography and culture of his homeland.
About the artist
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. Whispers of Form will run until the 28th of June 20205 at Addis Fine Art, Addis Ababa.
