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Urgessa, Tesfaye

Born 1983 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Lives and works in Nürtingen, Germany

Tesfaye Urgessa, Chasing After The Wind V, 2020 Courtesy of the artist and Addis Fine Art.  

Since graduating from Allé School of Fine Art and Design in 2006, Tesfaye Urgessa has quickly become one of the most prominent contemporary artists from Ethiopia. He then attended the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Stuttgart in 2009 and has been based in Germany ever since. Urgessa artistic subject matter focuses on social criticism, race, and the politics of identity, and has deep roots in his childhood and his memories as a young man in Ethiopia. Having studied under modern master Tadesse Mesfin at the Allé School of Fine Art and Design, Urgessa connected with Ethiopian iconography. This will be, in years to come, one of the binding elements of his artistic production. In his own words, this is like ‘always having an Ethiopian accent, no matter what language I’m speaking.’ Later on, over the course of his travels in Europe, he encountered the heritage of German Neo-Expressionism and the London School, which he would incorporate in his imagery.

Selected Artists

Tahir Karmali

Adegboyega Adesina

Omar Mahfoudi

Adelaide Damoah

Abdoulaye Konaté

Patrick Bongoy

Souleimane Barry

Prince Gyasi

Artists 2022

  • A

    • Abdoulaye Konaté
    • Aboudia
    • Adegboyega Adesina
    • Adelaide Damoah
    • Adjani Okpu-Egbe
    • Admire Kamudzengerere
    • Aïcha Snoussi
    • Ajarb Bernard Ategwa
    • Alexis Peskine
    • Amani Bodo
    • Ambrose Rhapsody Murray
    • Amina Agueznay
    • Amogelang Maepa
    • Ange Dakouo
    • Angèle Etoundi Essamba
    • Arébénor Basséne
    • Asemahle Ntlonti
    • Athenkosi Kwinana
    • Athi-Patra Ruga
    • Atong Atem
    • Atsoupé
    • Aurelino dos Santos
    • Austin Uzor
    • Auudi Dorsey
    • Ayanda Mabulu
    • Ayrson Heráclito
  • B

    • Basil Kincaid
    • Béchir Boussandel
    • Ben Orkin
    • Bertina Lopes
    • Bunmi Agusto
  • C

    • Cameron Platter
    • Cara Nahaul
    • Charlene Komuntale
    • Chris Soal
    • Clay Apenouvon
    • Collins Obijiaku
    • Cow Mash
    • Cristiano Mangovo
    • Crystal Yayra Anthony
  • D

    • David Olatoye
    • Dawit Adnew
    • Demarco Mosby
    • Deniz Pasha
    • Didier Viodé
    • Donald Wasswa
  • E

    • Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga
    • Ernest Dükü
    • Esther Mahlangu
  • F

    • Famakan Magassa
    • Fares Thabet
    • Fatiha Zemmouri
    • Fella TAMZALI
    • Francisco Vidal
    • Franco Ndiba
  • G

    • Gary March
    • Ghizlane Sahli
    • Gonçalo Mabunda
    • Gor Soudan
  • H

    • Hanien Conradie
    • Hassan Hajjaj
    • Henry ‘Mzili’ Mujunga
  • I

    • Ibrahim El-Salahi
    • Ifeoma U. Anyaeji
    • Isaac Zavale
    • Isabelle D.
    • Isshaq Ismail
  • J

    • Joël Andrianomearisoa
    • Johanna Mirabel
    • José Adário
  • K

    • Kaloki Nyamai
    • Katlego Tlabela
    • Kenrick McFarlane
    • Khadija Jayi
    • Kpe Innocent
  • L

    • Lakwena Maciver
    • Lavar Munroe
    • Leila Rose Fanner
    • Leslie Amine
    • LR Vandy
  • M

    • M’barek Bouhchichi
    • M0XC4
    • Malek Gnaoui
    • Manel Ndoye
    • Manyaku Mashilo
    • Mbaye Babacar Diouf
    • Mestre Didi
    • Miguel Angel Payano Jr.
    • Moufouli Bello
    • Mulambö
  • N

    • Nada Elkalaawy
    • Nadia Ayari
    • Nidhal Chamekh
    • Nnenna Okore
  • O

    • Odette Graskie
    • Odinakachi Okoroafor
    • Omar Mahfoudi
    • Onyis Martin
    • Option Nyahunzvi
  • P

    • Patrick Bongoy
    • Pedro Neves
    • Pedro Pires
    • Prince Gyasi
  • R

    • Renan Aguena
    • René Tavares
    • Richard Atugonza
    • Robert Peterson
    • Roland Dorcély
    • Romuald Hazoumè
    • Ryan Cosbert
  • S

    • Safaa Erruas
    • Salah Elmur
    • Salifou Lindou
    • Sikelela Owen
    • Slimen Elkamel
    • Sokari Douglas Camp
    • Sola Olulode
    • Souleimane Barry
    • Stan Squirewell
    • Stephané E. Conradie
    • Sthenjwa Luthuli
  • T

    • Tahir Karmali
    • Tewodros Hagos
    • Thameur Mejri
    • Themba Khumalo
    • Troy Makaza
    • Turiya Magadlela
  • V

    • Vitshois Mwilambwe Bondo
  • W

    • Wura-Natasha Ogunji
  • Y

    • Yasmeen Abdullah
  • Z

    • Zak Ové
    • Zanele Muholi

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