“Adbar” at Tiwani Contemporary in London is young Ethiopian artist Robel Temesgen’s first UK solo exhibition. With a practice that is focused on painting but which also encompasses installation, video, collaborative projects, and elements of performance, Temesgen concentrates his attention on society, its search for sustainability, and comprehension of sociological change.Taking its title from an Amharic term that refers to “the embodiment of protective spirits within various elements of the natural landscape,” the exhibition at Tiwani Contemporary features a series of new paintings and works on paper that draw inspiration from the longstanding Ethiopian belief of Adbar and its associated rituals.“Adbar serves many communal purposes, most notably as a place for prayer, a meeting point for rituals and offerings, and a space for discussing community matters,” Temesgen explains. “Growing up in Dessie, northern Ethiopia, I witnessed the fading of this long-established tradition and the subsequent development of new rituals, in tune with contemporary lifestyles,”“Adbar” marks a return to painting for Temesgen, following experiments in video, installation, and participatory projects. Executed in his characteristic symbolic, lyrical style, Temesgen’s ethereal, imaginary landscapes display “a luminescence achieved through the use of enamel, spray paint, and acrylic on high-gloss paper.”To find out more about Temesgen’s work and his “Adbar” series, which is on show at Tiwani Contemporary until February 6, BLOUIN ARTINFO got in touch with the artist an asked him a few questions.Your exhibition at Tiwani Contemporary draws inspiration from Ethiopian belief of Adbar and its associated rituals. Could you explain the concept of Adbar and how it is reflected and depicted in the works in the exhibition?Adbar is an abstract Amharic word used to describe the embodiment of a spirit to a natural place, such as trees, lakes and rocks. There are several Adbar places throughout Ethiopia. The rituals, offerings and prayers differ from place to place but all are focused on good harvest, giving thanks for the past season, prayers for the coming one and wellbeing of the society. Beyond the spiritual purpose, Adbar is a popular space for community meetings, local judgment and other such things. The term Adbar also extends to express individuals who are prominent in the community. The painting series is my understanding and fantasy of Adbar. Becoming fascinated by the interaction of the non-physical and the physical to maintain the social, the paintings consist of elements recognizable from nature, and undefinable elements or spaces.You grew up in Dessie in north-east Ethiopia. What influence and effect has your upbringing in Ethiopia had on you practice?My upbringing has had a very important influence on the way I work. Dessie, like most parts of Ethiopia, assigns great value to society and sociability. So, influenced by that, my practice focuses on social fabrics. Growing up with an Orthodox Christian family, I was not allowed to attend the rituals or to get too close to Adbar places. Yet, without realizing it, we used to practice some of the rituals, such as taking a piece of wood or a small stone to throw to a place where Adbar was believed to be, to bring protection on our way. Passing by the Adbar trees, I would notice leftovers from past rituals and always wonder what had happened there. One can see some of the fantasies in the paintings. It might not always be the case, but most of my projects have links to my upbringing.Adbar marks your return to painting after experiments in video, installation and participatory projects. What motivated you to return to painting?There are two reasons. First it is because painting has always been very spiritual medium for me. I feel generally less mechanical when I work with painting. And it has always been a special medium in that I don’t calculate every single process. But the second reason is to distance my physical visibility in the final output. If I had conceived of Adbar as a performance, there would have been an identifiable body associated to it, meaning the shared belongingness present in the paintings would be lost. So I had to choose a medium that can be experienced without the interference of technology or a human body.What are the origins and significance of the style, technique, and materials that characterize your work and how do the works in Adbar connect with, and reflect your wider, ongoing practice?Including my BA study in painting, I have been practicing painting and drawing for 15 years. I can say it is part of me. But when it comes to other mediums that I use, such as conversational works, or producing handwritten newspapers, I mostly get influenced by the subject and approaches which I believe will communicate it best. It is more about trying to understand the code of conduct in the society and deploy it in my work. The Adbar series of paintings connects to my wider practice in its focus being the social. The work defines the social fabrics that structure our community, and in turn defines my position and relation to it.What do you want to express and convey with the works presented in Adbar?The paintings refer to non-physical and extraterrestrial landscapes. That is what my perception of the phenomena of Adbar is, so I wanted the works to transcend the viewer and allow them to travel through the landscape and see, create or find Adbar on their own terms.What is the current status of Ethiopia’s art scene and how would you describe and define your position and role within it?The art scene in Ethiopia and particularly in Addis Ababa has become more active and is engaging on a continental and global scale. With the initiatives of new platforms and galleries, and established ones opening up to the younger generation, artists are getting more opportunities to be experienced by their own society and beyond. Even with a very limited budget and facility, what is happening in Addis is very motivating.I have had the privilege of getting experience from being acquainted with most of the prominent artists and curators in Ethiopia. Besides producing and exhibiting my own works, I have been organizing and facilitating workshops, exhibitions and dialogues in collaboration with fellow artists and institutions such as Ale School of Fine Arts and Design, Addis Ababa University, Netsa Art Village and the Modern Art Museum. This has been a good foundation for developing projects and building the art scene beyond where it is now.
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