Visual, performing art shared an exhibition's stage

Written BY LEULSEGED WORKU

Art is a manifestation of the socioeconomic and political life of a given society. People might express their feelings in different artistic forms. But, their goal is similar. Artists reveal the visible or invisible part of life through their paintings, creative writings,voices, musical instruments, performing art or through other means of artistic expressions.

Very recently, an art exhibition entitled “Art in Collaboration Show” was opened here in Addis Ababa. The over-week-long exhibition was held at a gallery-housing new Denver building at Arat Kilo, one of the historic residency of Addis.

This visual art exhibition was a bit peculiar from similar events, for it was staged together with performing art.

The exhibition had brought together not less than 18 artists and more than 70 works. Unlike most exhibitions that reserve their walls only for paintings, the art exhibition had devoted some of its coroners to young and talented photographers,who doesn't miss even shades while taking mesmeric shots. Artists that make drawings using crochets too did display their artistic prowess.

On the event the artists (both the performing and the visual ones) had showcased their creativity and freedom to art lovers in a way that foregrounds Ethiopian history and culture.

The paintings and photographs on display were the reflections and impressions of painters as well as sharpness and freedom of photographers that are not dictated by external force.

According to Dessalegn Enawgaw, one of the exhibitors at Art in Collaboration Show, when dictated by external forces, art losses its meaning. The paintings hanged in the gallery are the reflection of painters and the results of photographers' freedom. They are the product of looking things from different perspective.” For Dessalegn art in all its forms is all about freedom. But, this does not imply violating the basic socio-cultural values of a given society is freedom.

An artist who failed to respect the socio-cultural values of his/her community is not an artist at all. An artist is one who can look things from different perspective. S/he is not one who mix colors and draw a still object. Instead s/he is one who really understands and comprehends the message his or her paintings carry across. Thus, freedom is not drawing a nude picture or drawing something that violates the cultural values of the society.

Ermias Lemma, one of the exhibitors believes that art is all about freedom. According to him, an art which is in the hands of external power can not be an art at all. But this freedom must be ruled by socio-cultural principle of a given society.

Asked why they prefer to display the paintings on the corridors of the building Ermias Lemma said that besides promoting the newly opened art gallery, the exhibition aims at creating an opportunity to passersby to enjoy their history and culture freely.

Alemtsehay Lemma is an instructor of Theatrical Art at Addis Ababa University. She is one of the organizers of the “Art in Collaboration Show”. Like Ermias and Dessalegn, she has a firm belief that art is an integral part of a given society.

According to her, art in all its forms have a power to unravel what is hidden. In this regard, in a country like Ethiopia that is replete with history, art has a power to convey ideas and knowledge.

Alemtsehy is of the belief , “ Though there is a difference between performing art and visual art, they have some commonalities. They might have different audiences but they convey similar messages.”

Asked about the objective of “Art in Collaboration Show” Alemtsehay said “The idea of this exhibition is bringing together different art disciplines in a single stage. It is aimed at getting them in a single podium and tell a single story with a different style.