Bisrat Bekele: The Other Pioneer of Abstract Art There is no such thing as a one and only one kind of modernist in Zemenay art. Rather, there are several that push us to see and think differently. The national public has considered Zemenay artists as abstract artists and their works as abstract art. In reality, the majority of these artists came to favor surrealism-which was essentially a literary movement-and other artists adopted many different 20th century art movements. In the strict sense, only a few favored abstract art and made their first abstract paintings with full passion. From any angle, it does not appear that the 1960s abstract art movement in Ethiopia was a reaction against naturalism or a parallel reaction to the dominant artistic representation. It might have been symptomatic of a political ferment but certainly was a movement followed and applied passionately by some of the most outstanding individuals for their personal artistic expression. Gebre Kristos Desta was fully involved in abstract art until he become again interested in Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism. He was the most important artist to experiment with abstract or non-figurative art and was able to develop a consistent style. Soon after he got the official recognition as a non-figurative artist, he fully withdrew the representational element from his canvases and left only colors and shapes. However, he was not alone in this approach to the new aesthetic expression. Bisrat Bekele, the other pioneer of abstract art, soon followed him. In 1971, Bisrat presented ten of his works painted during a three-year period (from 1969 to 1971) in a group show at the Hail Selassie I Theater. The show was sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Fine Arts. There were close to 70 artworks-paintings, drawings, and sculptures using all sorts of media and exhibiting all sorts of artistic tendencies-by seven prominent Zemenay artists. All were instructors at the Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts. Among the works shown at the exhibition are many that can be considered masterpieces. The show affirmed the pluralistic approach of Zemenay art and its many possibilities. This was the first time that the public was able to view Bisrat's abstract paintings and learn that he was a painter with principles. Bisrat was shown to be a formalist at best with no political undertones to his vision. One of Bisrat's works, Composition, 1969, now resides in the National Museum, Addis Ababa. It originally was displayed side by side with Gebre Kristo's Organic, 1969 and Tadesse Gizaw's abstract metalwork Rhythm of Music, 1968. Composition, painted in tones of blue, black, ochre/brown and white, emphasize his sense of tonal values and emerges as one of the freshest, most perfect and most lyrical of his creations. It is a genuine artistic original in that the forms are of logical maturity, aspiring to a new sense of order with an Ethiopian feel. It clarifies the pattern of abstract forms and colors. It is a painting, an object in its own right, and it has the very quality of an icon. It is the ultimate example of abstract art in Ethiopia - a pure form of art that seeks to express only "inner and essential feelings." With Composition, Bisrat's approach to non-figurative painting becomes significant in the history of abstract art in Ethiopia. By the late 1970s, an experience of a very complex and profound social nature brought about a drastic change in a whole generation of artists. It was during this period that Bisrat's forms became less lyrical and his paintings more representational and expressive. Living through a period of political upheaval and stressful social change brought about the last stage in Bisrat's evolution, which had begun with his representations in the manner of Expressionism. He reconciles abstract compositional elements and conveys emotions with recognizable elements derived from visual experience of an actual scene. Once his painting had become figurative and representational, Bisrat pushed on. He began to paint in non-naturalistic colors, and portrayed distorted, exaggerated forms that mirrored his inner feelings. This is how he painted one of his most intriguing works, Revolution, 1979. It is now at the Hero Center in Debre Zeit. In art, superficial copying cannot strengthen artistic culture; artistic tradition is not fulfilled if the important ingredients are not present. Normally a conscious choice implies responsibility and accountability of the artist. Many of the prominent Zemenay artists studied the theoretical as well as the practical side of modernist art in the industrialized world. Just like their counterparts in other developing countries, several Zemenay artists followed in the footsteps of the pioneers of Western modernist art movements. Just like the best Ethiopian students of engineering, medicine, science or political science, the best Ethiopian artists of this period did not intend either to revitalize Ethiopian ancient practices and culture with the help of the new nor go against them. Rather, they wanted to use the new to advance the present. Despite the fact that the necessary ingredients for a new aesthetic and alternative forms of art were brewing in Addis Ababa's artistic circles, many Zemenay artworks have a propensity for maintaining a certain parameter and paradigm of their own. These works typically range from the loosely figurative, to those affected with a sense of spontaneity. In fact, abstract art was not pursued to the very end by any of the artists, and initially was not practiced by any more than a few artists. In any case, Bisrat, like the rest of the Zemenay artists, challenged the classical form of representation. He challenged the accepted concepts of composition and color by creating his own artistic language, which questioned the nature of form, line, and color. He stood out for an ingenuous acceptance of the non-figurative aesthetic and maintained an abstract approach. He constantly dissociated himself from the challenge of representational art and undermined its importance. In 20th century Ethiopian art, the withdrawal of images from representation or meaning could not have been as complete without Bisrat's passionate involvement. Along with the rest of the Zemenay artists, he was able to spark a revolution that defines the purpose and meaning of the new art and advanced the Ethiopian art movement. The sum of everything said and written about Gebre Kristos’ abstract art cannot be complete without mentioning other important abstract artists of his generation particularly Bisrat. In addition to their works, many similarities connect both artists. Both Bisrat and Gebre Kristos presented solo shows in Addis Ababa and both studied at the Haile Selassie I University before going abroad. Moreover, both participated in several national and international group shows. In 1965, while Gebre Kristos won the Hail Selassie's first prize for Fine Arts, Bisrta held his one-man show at the French Club in Addis Ababa. Just like Gebre Kristos, Bisrat studied in Europe in the 1960s and just like Gebre Kristos, upon his return he too became an art instructor at the Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts. When in 1976 Gebre Kristos left his position as instructor and became the head curator of Addis Ababa City Hall Gallery Bisrat too, left his position to be the head of the Fine Arts section of the Ministry of Culture. Since he was not happy with this position, however, he left it soon after. When Gebre Kristos left the country, Bisrat stayed on; he went back to teach mural art at the School of Fine Arts until his retirement. Despite these similarities, one factor that divides Bisrat most sharply from Gebre Kristo was his lack of passionate involvement in the artistic stage of Ethiopia. He shunned an art show, giving more importance to self-validation. Many of us waited in vain for his solo show. In spite of his dedication to his students and his outstanding teaching contributions, Bisrat became less productive and more reclusive. This is probably the main reason why all the scholars who have written about Gebre Kristos fail to notice Bisrat's contribution and neglect to mention him or his work in their writings and research. The truth of the matter is that, both contextually and chronologically, the study of abstract art and abstract expressionism tendencies in Ethiopian art cannot be complete without mentioning Bisrat's contribution. Bisrat is one of the influential art instructors and the first-generation pioneer of abstract art. By: Esseye Medhin, March 25, 2007