For the month of June, the Torpedo Factory Art Center partners with Alexandria’s St. George Art Gallery to host painter Daniel Taye, of Addis Abiba, Ethiopia, in the New Project Studio.
Once named by CNN as the “Van Gogh of Africa,” Taye traveled from Africa to participate in this month-long residency. His work has been shown at St. George Art Gallery for more than 15 years and some of his work is on permanent exhibition.
The public is invited to meet Taye and hear him speak about his work during an after-hours reception on Sunday, June 26; 6 – 9 pm. The evening will feature a sampling of Ethiopian foods and live music by Araya Woldemichael of the Ethiojazz group Feedel Band. A representative from St. George Gallery will talk about their history of working with Ethiopian artists. Also, a speaker from the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art will share about the impact of contemporary Ethiopian art in the region and their extensive collection of Ethiopian artworks
In addition to St. George Art Gallery, the Torpedo Factory will also welcome the Ethiopian Community Development Council, the Ethiopian Community Center of Washington, D.C., the Ethiopian Community Center in Maryland, and the Young Ethiopian Professionals.
About the residency
Taye is known for his evocative landscape and figurative work as he experiments with different mediums, color composition and depth. He has been described as an artist who inspired more puzzled expressions than praise, but his uninhibited flow of thought and rare perspective are ultimately his forte. Taye’s paintings do not fit the usual categories of Ethiopian fine art, traditional religious art, or abstract impressionism, but the strokes and the enchanting color schemes over the canvas bring his work to life.
St. George Art Gallery, which has locations in both Alexandria and Ethiopia, was the first art gallery to open in Addis Abiba and is still considered the foremost gallery in the country. Through the years, it has catered to a number of dignitaries and heads of state over the years, including President Bill Clinton, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Natalie Portman, and Calvin Klein.
Taye grew up involved with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and eventually became a deacon. The church played an important role in his education and was the cornerstone of his formative years. He entered the Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts in the late 1980s, and graduated with Distinction in 1990. He worked on the Gold Mine Documentation Project for the Ministry of Mining until 1993. His art has been exhibited in numerous venues throughout Ethiopia such as the National Museum, Goethe Institute, and Italian Cultural Institute. His work has also been showcased in the United States, Europe, and Africa.
He is spending June working in the New Projects Studio (Studio 8), which is a new endeavor for the Torpedo Factory Art Center that offers a short-term space to test new program ideas, spotlight underrepresented voices, and enhance community engagement. Tenants rotate on a regular basis.
About St. George Art Gallery
St. George Art Gallery opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 1991 and was the first art gallery in the city. From the very beginning, the mission of St George was to promote Ethiopian art and culture and to support artists and crafts people throughout the country. Although there are now many galleries in the city, St George remains the foremost gallery in Ethiopia and still offers the best in Ethiopian and African art and crafts. St. George Gallery of Alexandria opened for business in December 2010 and, like in Addis Ababa, features the best in Ethiopian furniture, art, jewelry, antiques, hand-woven textiles, books, and objet d’art.
