Jebenas examines the Ethiopian coffee ceremony as a living social and political ritual. Rooted in hospitality and dialogue, the ceremony provides a rare public space for conversation, sometimes even for political discourse. Through paintings, amulet publications, and ceramic works, I explore how these intimate gatherings sustain community and create a shared sense of belonging.

By following the proliferation of small “Nu Bunna Tetu” cafés across Addis Ababa, I trace how coffee culture adapts to urban change while preserving its communal essence. In this project, the coffee pot serves as both a vessel and a metaphor, a floating symbol of survival, resistance, and connection. The project celebrates the act of gathering, highlighting how everyday rituals can hold within them the power to nurture critical thought, the right to gather, and social cohesion.a