Sanctioned Graffiti

In-Picture

CHAIR FARE

In the streets of Tor Hayloch, wheelchairs once designed to carry people simmer in the rain, gazing out at the street and reminiscing about their past lives. These chairs have rolled into a second career as rain-drenched vending carts on a busy Addis sidewalk. Built for mobility but now hustling in the service of commerce, they show how the city refuses to let any piece of metal retire quietly. What was once a medical aid has become a street-side business model, proof that in Ethiopia, even whee...

ROOFTOP MOSAIC

In the bustling Mesqel Flower area, rooftops of small cafes and shops wear a patchwork of objects as armor against the wind. Tires, wooden planks, and old containers cling to the corrugated sheets, keeping them from flying off during harsh weather. Each rooftop tells a story of materials that once served one purpose inside the home, now repurposed as guardians above. The scene also reflects Addis Abeba's broader plastic disposal culture, where discarded containers, bottles, and other plastics of...

FENCE PEEK

Peering through the wooden fence of a muddy pen in Qera ox market, a brown cow pushes its head out, rope still looped around its horns, as if drawn by an irresistible scent or the promise of a new taste. The animal seems determined to investigate, curiosity winning over caution, while its companions wait patiently in the rain-soaked mud. These cows, soon to be sold for the holidays, offer a glimpse of farm life at its busiest, where the promise of the festive season meets the playful stubbornnes...