Blast from the Past: Paintings in Ethiopia spark dialogue about links between past and present

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In Ethiopia, one artist is taking inspiration from his country's ancient paintings. He believes that in order to be MODERN, you have to look back at HISTORY. Our correspondent Coletta Wanjohi gives us some insight into this unique painter.

Teklemariam Tilahun's is recreating images that were painted centuries ago that seemed to be fading into history as the society embraces new ideas of art.

He's displaying 19 different art pieces under the theme of "sewnet" which in Amharic means human, but can also be interpreted to mean feelings humanity shares.

TEKLEMARIAM TILAHUN ARTIST "There are a lot of stories to be told, I think about Ethiopian art and I used 2 indigenous paintings for my exhibition. These are the church paintings, more of Ethiopian Orthodox Church paintings and I think it will be a reason for starting a dialogue about Ethiopian art."

He uses intense black and bright colours which are synonymous with Orthodox church paintings.

COLETTA WANJOHI ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA "In these pieces Teklemariam displays angels as they are portrayed in the windows of old Ethiopian churches. What he has done is to intertwine their eyes and faces in a way that will explain a sense of unity, and he calls these paintings "angels of unity".

This painting is titled "Solomonic". Using a man in the middle and two women by his sides, he reveals that there is an untold story of a second dynasty from Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon.

TEKLEMARIAM TILAHUN ARTIST "Most of the time we talk about the Solomonic dynasty which is the bloodline that came from Menelik the 1st, the son of the queen of Sheba, but the Zawi dynasty is more of an untold story which is the bloodline that comes from the servant of the queen of Sheba."

Those who see his work immediately identify with their religion.

"We Ethiopians do have a lot of traditional practices which could be considered a most important practice which do not have to be ignored. So I think he is trying to tell us our social life should be respected."

"The Orthodox church is vast area, so he expressed his feelings and ideas devoted in this spiritual way of thinking, for me art is that to express our ideas and feelings using these concepts."

"I see these kinds of paintings like colorful in the lines and also Ethiopia colorful inspiration, traditional arts and it is harmonized paintings."

The paintings cost between 250 and 850 US dollars.

Teklemariam plans to keep producing more pieces, all with the aim of linking the past with the present. CW, Coletta Wanjohi CGTN, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.