Collaboration History
In 2014, Endale Desalegn visited Johannesburg, where he had his first residency with David Krut Projects (DKP), followed by a solo exhibition, titled A Single Vibration, at the David Krut Projects gallery at Arts on Main. The exhibition featured works that the artist made in Ethiopia in addition to new paintings that he had made while in residence. The show explored concepts of light and darkness, both in terms of unpredictable access to electricity in his home town as well as relating to wider themes on what it means to be an African today.
In 2015, he returned to DKP for a second residency, which was followed by another solo show, Two Social Pacifiers, in which Endale meditated on two economic and social systems – communism and capitalism – in relation to Ethiopia’s communist history and capitalist present.
During his residency programmes, Endale had access to a printing press for the first time, through which he collaborated with South African artist Senzo Shabangu and Zimbabwean artis Tendai Mupita. He also worked closely with David Krut Workshop (DKW) printer Kim-Lee Loggenberg to produce a series of monotypes.
In 2016, a self-titled solo exhibition of Endale’s work was presented at the David Krut Projects gallery in New York.
Biography
Endale Desalegn was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he continues to live and produce richly symbolic, experimental paintings. Endale’s work is distinguished by his strikingly expressive use of acrylic and oil paint and his characteristically monochrome palette with sparing use of colour.
Endale has a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in painting, from Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in Addis Ababa (2008). He has done residencies in Lisbon, Portugal (2011, 2016) and has had solo exhibitions in Ethiopia, South Africa, Portugal and the United States in addition to various group shows. Endale has also lectured at Addis Ababa University’s School of Architecture and the Teaching College in Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Selected blog posts
Endale Desalegn on his unconventional approach to printmaking
Endale Desalegn in Residency at DKP Print Workshop
The storm before the calm: preparations for exhibitions by Endale Desalegn & Robyn Penn
Related articles
Art South Africa reviews Endale’s most recent show, Two Social Pacifiers
On Endale’s visual imagination