2008

Azene 2, oil on canvas, 18 " x 36"

Azene paintings are based on my visit to Ethiopia in August 2008. Azene is short for Gojam Azene which is the name given to a type of new colorful fabrics. Gojam is a region in the northeast, and Azene means he is sad. When I previously visited the Gojam market in 2004, the villagers wore traditional clothes. Traditional clothes are made from cotton, they are mainly white with a strip of colorful design along the edges, visually unifying the people, creating oneness. Traditional clothes are made from scratch by the individual's family member. In my visit to Goajm's market in August 2008, these traditional clothes were being replaced by Gojam Azene. Visually separating the people, these new industrial, acrylic, synthetic fabrics seemed to be favored by the villagers. They are cheap, light to wear and offer various color choices, however, it can be seen as one of the first signs of modernism erasing tradition.

Hold De Door Gojam Azene Ethiopian Millennium
Hold De Door Gojam Azene Ethiopian Millennium		>
	Azene 2, oil on canvas, 18 " x 36" Azene paintings are based on my visit to Ethiopia in August 2008. Azene is short for Gojam Azene which is the name given to a type of new colorful fabrics. Gojam is a region in the northeast, and Azene means he is sad. When I previously visited the Gojam market in 2004, the villagers wore traditional clothes. Traditional clothes are made from cotton, they are mainly white with a strip of colorful design along the edges, visually unifying the people, creating oneness. Traditional clothes are made from scratch by the individual's family member. In my visit to Goajm's market in August 2008, these traditional clothes were being replaced by Gojam Azene. Visually separating the people, these new industrial, acrylic, synthetic fabrics seemed to be favored by the villagers. They are cheap, light to wear and offer various color choices, however, it can be seen as one of the first signs of modernism erasing tradition.