The burden of women : women artists in Ethiopia

Object Details

Author

Biasio, Elisabeth

Smithsonian Libraries African Art Index Project DSI

Subject

Awoke, Emebet 1954-

Desta Hagos 1952-

Worku, Mahilet

Atenafu, Katsala

Berhe, Berekti 1965-

Belete, Emebet 1968-

Tadesse, Elizabeth 1967-

Fanaye Tesfaye 1968-

Fine Arts School (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

What is the position of women artists in contemporary Ethiopia? Clearly men dominate the modern art scene in this patriarchical society. Schooling for girls in Ethiopia is low, and those who manage to reach higher education levels are few. Still there are those who have succeeded in rising through the education rungs to become professionally trained artists. And they are the ones that Biasio seeks out in this study. She met and interviewed eight women from two generations to see how they balanced an art career with other family and professional responsibilities. They also discuss their art work, inspirations and themes, though they generally agree that women's painting is no different than men's. Biasio detects no formal difference, but senses "a difference of life experience, of perspective and of consciousness."

Includes discussion of eight Ethiopian women artists: Desta Hagos (1953- ), Emebet Awoke (1954- ), Mahilet Worku, Katsala Atenafu, Berekti Behre (1965- ), Emebet Belete (1968- ), Elizabeth Tadesse (1967- ), and Fanaye Tesfaye (1968- ). Also includes discussion of the Fine Arts School of Addis-Ababa and the position and struggles of women artists in Ethiopia.

Abstract, page 304.

1994

Call number

DT371.2 .I57 1994

Type

Articles

Place

Ethiopia

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Women artists

Record ID

siris_sil_500376

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0