Five African artists demonstrating creative resilience in challenging times

The work of New York-based artist Tariku Shiferaw of Ethiopian origin is dense with layered materials – spray paint atop plastic or wood and then painted in acrylic – creating what he calls ‘marks.’ The marks, in turn, explore the metaphysical ideas of painting as well as our own societal structures. ‘It’s been my saving grace to go to the studio to make my art,’ said Shiferaw. ‘My work hasn’t changed due to the restrictions but I am working more and exploring more. I am focusing on the formal aspects of my art – the painterly elements of each piece. In society, there is also a way of leaving a mark in history and in the world.’ Certainly, these ‘marks’ by Shiferaw will be symbolic of the particular moment that the Covid-19 pandemic has created. 

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