Afriart Gallery is thrilled to showcase a duo presentation of Ethiopian textile artist Fiker Solomon and Ethiopian printmaker Kaleab Abate at the 9th edition of Art X Lagos.

Afriart Gallery is thrilled to showcase a duo presentation of Ethiopian textile artist Fiker Solomon and Ethiopian printmaker Kaleab Abate at the 9th edition of Art X Lagos. Both artists deeply with their chosen materials, allowing them to inform and shape their artistic processes. Abate utilizes printmaking patterns and layering techniques to create compositions that are rich in texture and complexity. His approach emphasizes the physicality of the materials he uses, leading to a visual language that is both surreal and grounded in realism. Similarly, Solomon’s practice involves stitching, punching, and knotting various materials together. Her experimentation with these techniques reflects a tactile engagement with her medium, where the manipulation of materials becomes integral to the narrative she constructs. Abate’s work often embodies a sense of fragmentation and distortion within his figures, suggesting an exploration of deeper emotional narratives that reside within the bodies he depicts. His layering technique serves as a metaphor for uncovering hidden stories within his subjects – each layer adds depth to the narrative he seeks to convey. In contrast, Solomon’s tapestries encapsulate the idea of the seasonal cycles of our existence – ever-changing yet interconnected – implying a narrative that evolves over time. Both artists construct narratives that invite viewers to engage with complex themes: Abate through visual fragmentation that suggests deeper stories beneath the surface, and Solomon through material connections that reflect life’s transient emotional states.