THE SACRED ART OF ETHIOPIA EXHIBITION - 3.07.15 - 05.09.15

Posted: Jul, 20th 2015 Contributor: Bilen Shifferaw,

The Jubilee Museum and Catholic Cultural Center is opening a new exhibition, "The Sacred Art of Ethiopia: Icons by Contemporary Ethiopian Artists from the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection."

The exhibition will be open to the public from July 3 through September 5, 2015. The show features 38 sacred artworks that represent the Orthodox Christian tradition of the East African nation, Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the oldest Christian civilizations in the world, adopting Christianity as its state religion as early as the 4th century. Located at the meeting point of three continents on the Horn of Africa, the country developed a richly diverse culture, drawing on Egyptian, African, Byzantine, Arabic-Islamic, and European art to create a style of Ethiopian Orthodox sacred imagery unique in Christendom.

The items on display, loaned from the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection, are all works by contemporary Ethiopian artisans who use time-honored techniques and iconographic motifs to create their folk art pieces. They range from intricately decorated metal crosses, patterned on traditional "lost wax" castings, to a painting on "gabi," a handwoven cotton cloth. There are three triptych icons and a wooden stand for holding liturgical texts, covered with sacred images painted on gessoed wood. None of the works are signed, but the hand of individual artists can be recognized in border decorations and distinctive styles of image-making, taught in church schools, where most artisan-painters learn their trade. Ethiopian icon painting is a living tradition still practiced today.

Collector, retired Associate Editor and former Moscow Bureau Chief for TIME Magazine John A. Kohan will be speaking on the subject of collecting sacred art on Saturday, July 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the Jubilee Museum. Following his talk there will be a tea and sweets reception. All are welcome! The exhibition is organized by Graziella Marchicelli, PhD, Jubilee Museum's Director of Museum Services. For more information please visit the Jubilee Museum and Catholic Cultural Center's website