Returning to the Source

For this particular series of paintings, I explore the forms and shapes of Fidel, the ancient writing system of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Inspired by modern artists from Ethiopia and Eritrea who have incorporated the alphabet in their work, I interpret these symbols using my own visual language for the abstract compositions.

Tigrinya and Amharic are the only two languages that use this alphabet called Fidel, which is derived from the ancient language, Ge’ez. Each symbol in the alphabet represents a syllable, and all words are comprised of a syllable or sound making it a phonetic based language. There are approximately thirty-seven root sounds/letters, and seven variations of each sound in the alphabet. The lines and shapes of the letters in the paintings are lyrical and rhythmical, providing a rich visual texture for the structure and composition of the paintings.

All images copyright of the artist.

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