Lot 46
Tibebe Terffa
Ethiopian, born 1948
Untitled I, 2015
Signed and dated (lower right)
Acrylic on canvas
80 x 100 cm
KES 380,000 – 490,000
USD 3,500 – 4,500
Provenance: direct from the artist through Addis Fine Art Gallery
Sold KES 645,700
Untitled I is an example of Tibebe Terffa’s challenging approach to composition at its boldest. In a flattened manner, he has created an eerily empty landscape torn open by a yellow gash with dark shadows; hinting at the deep abyss that lies beneath the surface.
One of Ethiopia’s most prominent living painters, Terffa’s philosophical approach to painting combines expressions of his everyday environment with traditional and contemporary cultural references to create open, symbolic works.
Terffa studied Painting at the Addis Ababa School of Fine Art, graduating in 1973. He has been a full-time studio artist, working from his home in Addis Ababa, since 1984.
He has had numerous solo and selected group exhibitions in Ethiopia, USA, Spain, Germany and Canada, where he has also taken three artist residencies.