Melaku Tesfaye:
Born in Addis Ababa in 1974, Melaku graduated from Addis Ababa University School of Fine Art and Design where he studied painting and graphic art. Melaku has also done extensive research on traditional Ethiopian paintings and talismanic art, which has been highly influential in his recent works. The artist favors the application of mixed media and often uses acrylic and oil paints in a single project. One of his works, Black Lion, was part in the show, Ethiopian Artists: Tradition, Assimilation and Change, at the Anne Focke Art Gallery in the City Hall of Seattle. Two of his untitled works in this exhibition recall the traditional Ethiopian style through emphasis on eyes and his calligraphy of the local text. His works have been exhibited at the Imperial Hotel, UNESCO’s Addis Ababa office, Alliance Ethio-Francaise in Addis Ababa, C Art Gallery, Seattle Center Pavilion, and Tobya Art Gallery in Seattle, Washington.