Some aspects of post-revolution visual arts in Ethiopia / Seyoum Wolde

Object Details

Author

Śeyum Waldé Rāmsé, 1943-1994

Smithsonian Libraries African Art Index Project DSI

Extracted from: Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference of Ethiopian Studies, Moscow, 26-29 August 1986 (Moscow: Nauka Publishers, Central Department of Oriental Literature, 1988), pages 7-25.

The gradual process of secularization of Ethiopian art that had begun around the turn of the century received a jolt after the 1974 revolution, when artists were suddenly expected to turn their talents to promoting the new social order and celebrating the victory of class struggle over the old regime. Before the revolution, secular painting had been political only in the sense of paying tribute to cultural heroes (e.g. Queen of Sheba) and colonial victories (e.g. the Battle of Adwa). The new Ministry of Culture became active in organizing art competitions, in mobilizing artists to participate in national political events with mass demonstrations, and in propagandizing through poster and billboard art. The Ethiopian Artists Association, formed in 1975, was clearly political in its goals. Selling art for private gain was discouraged.

In the second part of his paper, Wolde reviews the Fine Art School in Addis Ababa and the rather dramatic impact that the revolution had on its instructional program and ultimately on the nature of the works that the students produce. The themes chosen by students are either overtly political or dutifully channeled into acceptable topics, such as rural and urban labor, emancipation of women, or literary heroes from recent novels. Elitism was out; democratic art was in. The solitary artist was out; the collective was in. Non-objective art was out; realism with a purpose was in. Wolde seems to take a pragmatic non-critical view of these developments.

1988

20th century

Call number

VF-- Artists--Ethiopia

Type

Books

Physical description

p. 7-25

Place

Ethiopia

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Art, Ethiopian--Political aspects

Artists

Art and state

Propaganda in art

Record ID

siris_sil_793211

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0