Afewerk Tekle

Afewerk Tekle was born on October 22, 1932, in Ankober. Sent to England to study mining engineering, his overwhelming artistic talent led him instead to the Central School of Arts and Crafts and the Slade School of Fine Art in London, followed by studies across Italy, France, and Spain.

Returning to Addis Ababa in 1954, Tekle became court painter, creating masterworks synthesizing traditional Ethiopian iconographic palettes with modernist monumentalism. In 1961, he unveiled his masterpiece, The Total Liberation of Africa, a breathtaking 150-square-meter stained-glass triptych at Africa Hall, headquarters of UNECA. Designated Maitre Artiste, his villa and studio Villa Alpha became an international cultural shrine.