Exhibition: Ephrem Solomon from Ethiopia, Sept. 15-Oct. 17 2012 @ Le Rustique Restaurant

Ephrem Solomon
Born in Addis Ababa in 1985 and specialized in traditional print making, Ephrem graduated from Entoto Art school in 2009.

Common to the various types of work he engages in, is a deep commitment to the traditions of descriptive painting. He likes to focus on subject matter that defines our time: our living conditions and the cultural environment that surrounds him.

The first group of work in this exhibition includes religious themes or stories from the Bible or from the *Kebre* *Negist*, an addendum to the Bible used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The second group is made of woodcut depicting chairs which are put together as if they were interacting socially and conveying a social and political meaning. There are two readings one of peacefulness and the other a reflection on absolute power. Chairs to sit on and chairs to reign from.

In a world where newness has become a value in and for itself, we are moved by these works that provide alternative readings and provoke questions on representation, history and memory. Ultimately, they go back to a very strong tradition while embodying something that is currently relevant.