Ashenafe Mestika

Ashenafe is primarily interested in painting, drawing, and photography as means of expressing his thoughts and experiences. He considers himself a figure enthusiast, and as such, human figures are central to his work; they are the primary subject matter with other elements that he incorporates into his works, and he wants the figures to have their own universe, a space where they can be themselves or as he imagines them to be.

EDUCATIONAL
2017 – 2020 AAU Alle School of Fine Arts & Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Ethiopia
2015 – 2016 Master Fine Arts and Vocational Training Centre, Certificate in Film Making, Photography, Videography, and Editing
2008 - 2010 Entoto Polytechnic College 10+3 Diploma, Fine Arts/Painting, Ethiopia

SOLO EXHIBITION
2025
"በይው ተቀየረ እንጂ ትሪው አልተነሳም” New Hands, Same Plate” at Artawi Gallery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2024
"አሟሟቴን አሳምርልኝ" "Grant me my sovereign death" at Fendika Cultural Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2022
“Traces of a Moment” at Guramayne Art Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2015
“Strong Emotions and Expressions” Galleria TO. MO. CA. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

GROUP EXHIBITION
2025
“AFRICA FOTO FAIR 2025”, 4th Edition, Abidjan & Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire
“Root and Wings” at Galerie Sammlung Amann, Stuttgart, Germany
2024
“Water in Ethiopia” at the Modern Art Museum-Gebre Kristos Desta Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2023
"Echoes of Abyssinia" at the National Museum of Unification, Alba Iulia, Romania
“ANTIFRAGILE” East African artist at Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
“Contemporary Ethiopia” at Quoz Arts Fest 2023, AKKA Project Dubai, Dubai, UAE
2022
“Water in Ethiopia” Photography Exhibition at Goethe-Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
“YOUNG VIGOR” at Ethiopian Metropolitan Gallery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
“Triangular Relationship” at RED Door Galley
2021
“Addis Contemporary II 6 Years On” Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
2020
AAU Alle School of Fine Art & Design, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2018
MILLERNTOR GALLERY#8, H...