SURREAL SAUNTERS

Apr 15 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

The Big Art Sale in Hilton attracts notable dignitaries like Minister of Labor & Skills Muferiat Kamil. During its 18th rendition this year, thousands of visitors showed up to see the works of over 100 artists. Ethiopia's rich art history has been subjected to theft and destruction through the ages due to successive wars over the centuries. Most recently, Ethiopians have been asking for the return of a 19th-century shield, taken by British soldiers more than 150 years ago. The engraved shield is part of a vast cache of royal, religious, and military artefacts looted during the 1868 Battle of Maqdala.  


In-Picture

OUT DOORS

Old gates that once guarded home entrances are now lined up for resale in a neighbourhood around Bulgaria, removed due to relocation, rust, or renovations. Painted in various colours and shapes, they lean in the shade, awaiting a new purpose. Nearby, a toppled light post, damaged at its base but with cables intact, lies waiting for repair or replacement. In areas yet to benefit from corridor development and still retaining their original character, broken light posts, old gates, and poor infrast...


In-Picture

MOVING WALLS

The well-kept and recently opened compound of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation near Shegole features graffiti with various shapes, figures, and flowing patterns, a security guard leaning back behind a big flower pot and against the waves on the wall that seem to lead somewhere. Founded in 1964, the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation now rebranded as ETV is a government-owned public service broadcaster...


In-Picture

TECH TALK

Young innovators took centre stage at the Sheraton Addis last week, captivating an audience that included Prof. Kindeya Gebrehiwot, former president of Mekelle University, and Innovation & Technology Minister Belete Molla. The event, organised through a partnership between Reach for Change and the Mastercard Foundation, showcased fresh ideas and bold thinking from Ethiopia's emerging tech talent. With prototypes, pitches, and spirited explanations, the gathering celebrated the imagination an...