Tadesse Mesfin

Tadesse Mesfin has devoted over five decades to his artistic journey. His distinctive artistic approach bears the imprint of his formative years under Gebre Kristos Desta, a trailblazer in Ethiopian Modernism. Additionally, Mesfin's seven-year stint in the USSR during the 1980s, where he delved into the realms of architecture and sculpture in St. Petersburg, significantly shaped his creative expression.

Biography of Tadesse Mesfin

Tadesse Mesfin was born in 1953 in Woldia, Ethiopia. He completed his education at the former Addis Ababa University School of Fine Arts, now known as the Addis Ababa University Alle School of Fine Arts and Design. Furthermore, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in painting from the Saint Petersburg Repin Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture.

In 1998, Mesfin received the Life-time Award of Ethiopian Fine Arts and Mass Media National Prize.

For 33 years, Tadesse Mesfin has taught at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design. He has imparted his knowledge to several generations of painters, including Addis Gezehagn, Ermias Kifleyesus, Merikokeb Berhanu, and Tesfaye Urgessa.

Tadesse Mesfin's Art Style

Tadesse Mesfin's most recent artwork extends his ongoing series dedicated to honoring the women engaged in small-scale vending within the markets of various Ethiopian cities. To attract potential customers, these women are often seen standing or crouching, surrounded by their agricultural produce. As a visual tribute to these individuals, Mesfin prominently showcases their occupations and personalities, inviting viewers to recognize and value their significant roles within their communities.  

In some instances, the paintings defy the constraints of perspective, presenting distant figures that seem to hover in the space between those in the foreground. Their forms are frequently abstracted through loosely defined brush strokes, leaving only their regal, statuesque poses and facial expressions discernible. Mesfin has expressed that his earlier fascination with the West African mask-making tradition inspired him to craft his own "Ethiopian masks" by drawing upon the expressions captured in the faces of the women on his canvases.  

Their pointed chins and captivating gazes pay homage to West African masks, yet the distinctly Ethiopian features bestow upon them a unique and individualized appearance. Each figure in these paintings is meticulously balanced with a methodical precision honed over decades of practice. A central protagonist often takes the focal point, strategically placed slightly off-center in adherence to the golden section rules of proportion, effectively counterbalancing the background figures.