Gebre Kristos Desta (1932-1981): Ethiopia's Painter-Poet Extraordinaire

Achamyeleh Debela G e b r e Kr i st o s D e st a, Self Portrait, Co l l ect i o n o f Mesf i n Od a Geb r eyes. G ebre Kristos Desta was one of Ethiopia's leading painters, poets and teachers. His exemplary life and work in pre- and post-revolutionary Ethiopia, his work and experiences in exile, until his untimely death in 1981 in Lawton, Oklahoma, has had an important impact on contemporary Ethiopian art. The historic development of Ethiopian art is integral to the political and religious development of the country. The mixture of traditional beliefs with those of eastern and western Christian ideas make up the Byzantine-styled Art of Ethiopia. With some aspects of early Christian iconography, this ancient visual vocabulary was introduced at the time of conversion by King Ezana in 400 A.D. This Byzantine religious art form has evolved for over seven centuries, having a distinctive Ethiopian character. Many manuscript illuminations, murals, icons and book pictures were produced under the direction of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The function of art in Ethiopia has been to promote the Christian faith and to raise religious consciousness among illiterate believers. Realizing the unique value of art as a tool for instruction, the church used art as an efficient instrument to educate the "ignorant " masses and at the same time to delight those with privileged sensibilities and culture . Artists were trained in the church schools and they created to satisfy the wishes of their clients and the church. Since the objective of art was pedagogic, artists abided by the church's prescriptions, which determined what themes were consistent with the educational function of painting—a form of gospel in images. However, it is important to note that Ethiopian religious art, in spite of its function as an educational instrument, remained subject to the ideological content of religion, Gebre Kristos Desta (1932-1981): Ethiopia's Painter-Poet Extraordinaire 40 • Nk a Jo u r n al of Con t em p or ar y Af rican Art In the Gotto, 1 9 7 9 ,1 0 0 x 150 c m . hence determining the artist's attitude toward reality. One can say that art was more than realism: It was "a prayer in color" (Chojoacki, 1970). The Dabtara/ Artist was himself a clergyman, hence, subject to the wishes of his clients he worked without social conflict because he shared the religious convictions which his public, the church, and the faithful wanted him to express. It was not until the beginning of the 18th century that Kings and the nobility started to appear on the same stage with saints and the Holy Family. During the 18th century a change in the artist/ patron relationship started to take shape when secular painting developed. The change grew from the state and the nobility asserting itself and becoming more involved, expanding the patronage beyond the almost exclusive church clientele. The Emperor was the main benefactor of the church. He saw to it that it was supported by public funds; its property and income was tax free, and land was granted to it provided it was politically expedient. The state collected taxes for all monasteries and church officials collected salaries from the state. The church reciprocated accordingly by preaching the mystique and power of the king. The Dabtara/ Artist became a important part of the church/ state relationship. He was commissioned to make a "picture book" using Icons and written symbols for the various gospels by hand and to illuminate them for individual customers. This of course minimized the public and social character of his art. Delimitation of the artists' capacity to speak directly to society was one aspect of the change. The new patrons, in the person of the emperor and the A Long Day, 1 9 7 9 ,6 5 x 50 c m . 4 2 - N k a Jo u r n al of Con t em p or ar y Af rican Art Football, 1979,87.5 x 6 2 c m . nobility, were able to appreciate the value of art as a means affirming their social prestige, and the artist...