ETHIOPIA

In Ethiopia, silence has an ambivalent meaning: praised as a form of wisdom, it can at the same time mean exclusion and a lack of care. It is a space of tension unevenly distributed along lines of gender, geography, and power. Tegene Kunbi works through painting stratifications, assembling fabrics of contrasting origins and meanings – handmade textiles alongside industrial materials, sacred garments and utilitarian fabrics – bringing socially segregated categories into a single visual field, where meaning surfaces through proximity and material presence rather than explanation.

Featured image: Tegene Kunbi, Untitled, 2025-2026 – Photo Yero Adugna Eticha © Yero Adugna Eticha