ephemerals

   

 

During my 3-week long May 2019 residency at Guramayne Art Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I creating sculptures and a bound book with writings, drawings and collages. Foraging for and collecting found materials on site, my mission has been to shine a spotlight on the inhumane and ongoing displacement of people who inhabit increasingly valuable land in Addis Ababa. The communities being marginalized by developers are losing their historic homes; and their rich stories are being swept off the earth resulting in bare and buried landscapes, spaces in waiting for buildings that will enrich others. By creating this spirited body of work, I pay homage to all of the displaced people.  After the show, the sculptures were installed on the sites where I had gathered their components. In leaving them there to weather, to be found or to be taken, I extended the possibility for awareness of the disappearing communities.

Thanks to Mifta Zeleke, Director/Curator Gurmayne Art Center Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Tamrat Gezahegne and Geke Kieft for their hospitality.