Ethiopians Collecting Ethiopian Art One of the sad ironies in modern times is that those of us who ought to own and collect our cultural artistic heritage are rarely able to, and therefore we miss the opportunity to derive pleasure from the first-hand experience of it. Nothing is wrong as such with others enjoying these works of art; on the contrary, this kind of cultural "sharing" of art promotes tolerance. Sadly, most members of the society to whom the art is most meaningful are not in a position to own artworks. Neither are they able to see them collected and displayed in museums and galleries, for scholarly interest or artistic purposes, so that they might appreciate the art and satisfy the psyche. Ethiopia is known for its long history and rich culture. Its art, one of its cultural achievements, is largely considered an outcome of centuries of cultural exchange of many forms of art between Africa, Asia, and Europe, giving it a unique place in the history of African art. Today, short of owning and collecting these art works, Ethiopians everywhere are nevertheless proud of them and consider them national treasures. This wealth of Ethiopian art has not changed much in formal and thematic characteristics, and is still physically present and practiced in all corners of the country. Our attention to and interest in the folk art of ordinary Ethiopians is a very recent phenomenon, but in reality the practice and the creativity date back to before a name was even coined for it. This form of art was produced in the olden days by certain population groups according to their own unmodified tastes, for the consumption of society at large. The production of folk art has recently intensified largely encouraged by internal as well as by external demand. Folk art collectibles that are produced by artists without formal training includes such diverse objects as coffee table paraphernalia, ash trays, salt and pepper sets, pottery, crosses of different shapes, baskets, figurines, cartoon-like drawings or paintings of historic as well as religious subjects. Folk art collectibles can be seen in all mercatos, markets and wherever there are Ethiopian restaurants. Like ethnographic museums, several gallery-like gift stores in Addis Ababa and in major U.S. cities with large Ethiopian communities display these works. This is also the kind of folk art that fills and decorates the living rooms of every Ethiopian in the Diaspora--from London to Los Angeles, from Sydney to Riyadh. Excellent examples of these types of artwork are displayed wherever there is an Ethiopian cultural affair abroad and in the country itself. Some of these artifacts record or recreate with considerable creative talent nostalgic or historic situations of traditional Ethiopia, and they have been very popular with large numbers of Ethiopians residing abroad. Some examples are also finding their way into museums and institutions, as did Christian Ethiopian art. Christian Ethiopian art, which the highland Ethiopians have practiced for centuries, is different in that the creators were people of the church. Because of its purely religious purpose, it did not attempt to record or capture the Ethiopian way of life or the fast-disappearing country landscape, nor was its purpose to celebrate Ethiopia. Consequently, its formal basic structure and approach and thematic choice, though sophisticated and done by highly trained church scholars, have remained essentially unchanged for centuries. Many fine works of Christian Ethiopian art are presently in private collections as well as in reputable national and international institutions and museums. In the beginning of the 20th century, we see a totally different type of art emerging, both in concept and purpose, illustrating the advent of modern education and technology in the country. This new art form and movement characterize the contemporary artistic culture and activities of the country. Following the emergence of professional artists during this period, foreign art lovers and collectors started swarming the Ethiopian art market, collecting all categories of Ethiopian art, from Christian Ethiopian paintings to folk art, from hand-crafted collectibles to contemporary Ethiopian art--paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures. Except for a very few educated and affluent Ethiopians with a passion for collecting art works from friends or acquaintances, officials and businessmen who sit for an artist for their portraits never consider themselves cultural custodians by buying or commissioning a work of art, even though they appreciate the artist's work as a gift. There are no records that refer to these people as collectors or patrons. Recently, however, we have witnessed--and artists themselves are comfortable to say--that Ethiopians are collecting contemporary Ethiopian art at levels which time and money allow. It is also not unusual to see Ethiopian restaurants and cafes displaying contemporary Ethiopian paintings among the more common folk and traditional paintings. In many cases, due to the strong emotional ties with the country, the subject matter of such paintings, like contemporary Ethiopian songs, reflects or evokes something of the traditional, historical, mythical or religious experience in Ethiopia. The culture of Ethiopia and the days of its past have increasingly become the subject of nostalgic and historic interest both in public display and private collection. As a result, works that make political, cultural, moral or social statements are in great demand, largely by Ethiopians living abroad. As in many developing countries where national, ethnic or religious feelings are of primary importance, the need for these kinds of themes in plastic as well as performing arts may be found in the world outlook of Ethiopians. On the other hand many Ethiopians at home as well as abroad decorate their homes with lifeless and dull art prints, magazine pictures, plastic flowers, and photographic prints and reproductions of paintings of works by nameless strangers. A vast majority of Ethiopians who are fortunate enough to own a work of fine art, particularly those living abroad, do not consider themselves collectors or investors, much less "patrons" of Ethiopian contemporary art. Even if the need exists, the consumption is falsely and forcefully supplied and is usually satisfied by the most organized shopping mall chain stores. In addition, the endless entertainment provided by the media of the host country, diminishes expatriate Ethiopians' attention to anything which connects them with their cultural and national artistic achievements. For anyone living abroad, proud of his country's culture and national artistic achievement and who would like to start a collection of Ethiopian contemporary art, a business or vacation trip to Ethiopia is the right time to begin. The Addis Ababa Fine Arts School and the few art galleries opened recently in Addis Ababa are good places to start with. Meeting the artists in person and visiting them in their studios are in themselves worthwhile beginnings. The artists are so enthusiastic to show their works that any interested collector will likely be impressed by their situations and their lifestyles as well as being totally mesmerized by their work. Contemporary Ethiopian artists have studied art seriously both at home at The Addis Ababa Fine Arts School and abroad in the major art schools worldwide. In most cases, they have been very successful nationally as well as internationally. Their backgrounds and experience are as varied as Ethiopians themselves, and have been excellent examples of their amazing artistic achievements in contemporary African art history. They work in a number of different media and raise innumerable kinds of subject matter. They are a cause for national pride and represent present-day Ethiopia in all its ups and down, in all its glory and frustration. Possessing a work of Ethiopian art is direct route to learning more about Ethiopia and its contemporary creative artists. As a would-be collector or investor you may want to determine a criterion for what to collect. This is not as complicated as it seems and there is no risk involved. You might have to examine the works of more than one artist in pursuit of pieces that satisfy you on intellectual or aesthetic levels, and that silently speak to your psyche. You should decide to buy a work of art only when you are convinced that it gives you or others whose opinion you value immediate as well as future aesthetic pleasure and satisfaction. Let us say you have a certain kind of yearning and a certain kind of feeling about yourself--your friends, your parents, your country, etc. To satisfy and reflect these emotions, you search for something tangible, concrete and articulate. In all probability this experience of yours has been interpreted and satisfied by a number of artists; some you may be familiar with, others may be new to you. In either case there are artists who share your cultural as well as artistic thinking and experiences. The temptation to buy or to own an artwork in order to take pleasures from it and makes it part of your collection starts here. You might also be fascinated by paintings of a certain artist at a particular age; or you may prefer a certain theme or subject matter of a certain artist, or the style of a particular school. This kind of decision materializes, however, only if you are involved in art or have already started to develop art appreciation. You might become interested in the painter through his lifestyle, his humor, his character, or even his dedication to his profession. This has been seen time and again in the history of art. Unless you are a specialized collector or dealer looking for a particular style, school, period and subject matter of a painting, and are interested in all the jargon and theory used by art collectors and investors, this is how you start collecting objets d'art. In the end, what matters is that you get what appeals to you personally. You alone and maybe the artist and individuals who share your experience can tell if it is worth paying what you have paid. Even if knowledgeable advice is at times required, you make the final choice in investing in something dear to your heart. In addition to those who collect Ethiopian contemporary paintings for personal satisfaction, as cultural relics or for pleasure, there may be others who intend to collect art as an asset, for monetary profit. Unfortunately for the latter kind of collectors, contemporary Ethiopian art collections are not like traditional investments, at least not at the present time. If you are interested only in the monetary value of contemporary Ethiopian art or, for that matter, of any objets d'art, you should think twice before investing in it. For the moment, what you as a collector of Ethiopian contemporary art receive is the satisfaction of owning it, which may be the pleasure of looking at it, of inviting others to look at it and of knowing it belongs to you. The piece will likely give pleasure to others as well--one of your family members perhaps, your wife or husband, your parents or children, or friends. The value of any work of art is the value you, the collector, and others who enjoy it attach to it. Moreover, valuing it for its own sake, knowing that the value is there and that it can be passed on to heirs for generations to come, is an enormous personal and social reward --it can be a means of achieving a kind of immortality. Besides, you never know where your collection will take you--it might one day become a cultural relic or a prototype of major Ethiopian artistic achievement. It is said that collecting has been a human activity since Noah. It has been condemned for exploiting the patrimony of people and praised for saving works in danger. Whatever convincing reasons we have on either side, there is no indication that it will ever stop. However, common sense tells us that collecting Ethiopian art is wise and very rewarding only if it is focused on secular rather than religious artworks. An honest collector would not encourage a total extraction of rich art treasures from remote monasteries, churches and mosques by ripping them from their natural settings. Even if he owns one, he should give it to an institution, a museum or return it to where it belongs. As to the collection of folk and contemporary Ethiopian art, pride of ownership is not enough. It should be properly conserved and protected, not only because of the investment it represents, but because it is going to be a cultural treasure for generations to come. This article was originally published in ETHIOPIAN BIR BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REPORT, November/December 1996 By: Esseye G Medhin, 1996