Wheaton Wire

Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Marina White ’11 Bezabih came to campus to speak about his art and his experiences.

Media Credit: Marina White ’11 The event was sponsored by Black History Month committee (Greg Thompson '10, left), United Men of Color (Ryan Sermon '11), the art department (Professor Leah Niederstadt, right) and the Intercultural Board.

World renowned, Ethiopian artist Behailu Bezabih spoke about his life's work on February 19, at 7:00 p.m. Soft-spoken Bezabih describes his art as his "prayer." Currently, Bezabih is the artist in residence at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, making this his first United States residency.

Bezabih's exposure to the art world and his growth as an artist can be documented by his pieces. His extensive travel drives his creativity but, although he is influenced by his new surroundings, Bezabih's art is still representative of Ethiopia because he feels he is interpreting the world through the culture of his home. His first trip outside of Ethiopia was to Paris, France, where his nomadic lifestyle fed his curious mind and gave him inspiration along the way. His extensive travels have led him to such countries as Kenya, South Africa, Germany, and Ireland.

An early piece entitled "Self-portrait" marks what he called his "beginning work" and depicts his face, a song his students use to playfully tease him with, and general personal information such as his name in French.

His painting "African Parliament" showcases some of Bezabih's political tendencies, striking an apparently controversial image depicting a red tree and empty white and black chairs. The meaning of the piece he explained refers to a lack of government intervention, the chairs superficially holding power and status. "Why only chairs, where are the people?"

A native of Addis Ababa, Bezabih joined the city's art school in 1976 and graduated with a degree in painting in 1980. Bezabih trained and began his career under the political eye of Ethiopia's socialist regime of the mid 1970's and 1980's. He explained that there were two creative options under the oppressive government; social activity, which he claimed was "communist propaganda", or historical, cultural art, which he chose as his focus.

He was inspired by European as well as American painters and noted the 20th century French artist, Henri Matisse in particular, for his work "The Dance". He is now inspired by contemporary art, appreciating it for its range of media and limitlessness

In Ethiopia, Bezabih was a teacher of art. "I hated it at first", he admitted, but quickly realized the "love" and "respect" his students gave him and their daily insight of seeing the world through innocent eyes, and existing only in the moment.

The series "Kal" he created was inspired by teaching, using old school desks as his medium and is comprised of painted and re-interpreted desks. Bezabih was surprised and excited to find several Wheaton desks had etchings notes on them just as the one's he used in his pieces

Overall, learning and teaching is what defines him. Bezabih claims that from his students he has come to realize that "if we learn with love, we will make it."

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