​​​Adbar

Adbar is an abstract Amharic term referring to the embodiment of protective spirits within various elements of the natural landscape, such as lakes, mountains, rocks or trees. Adbar serves many communal purposes, most notably as a place for prayer, a meeting point for rituals and offerings, and a space for discussing community matters.
 
Growing up in Dessie, northern Ethiopia, I witnessed the fading of this long-established tradition and the subsequent development of new rituals, in tune with contemporary lifestyles. This series of paintings and works on paper was inspired by these experiences. 
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