Presence
2014
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

In collaboration with Yo-Yo Gonthier, Tewodros Bekele, Kaleab Demeke, Ephrem Ayalew, DFA Ethiopia

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As part of the video-art workshop “What Is the Role of the Artist in Society?” organized by Desta for Africa, Berhane created a video performance exploring the boundaries of artistic freedom in Ethiopia. The work reflects on how artists navigate challenges of expression and their relationship with the social and political realities that surround them.

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The video was filmed at Meskel Square, the largest public space in Addis Ababa. The performance unfolds as a silent concert. A band and a singer play, yet the voice is missing. This absence becomes the central gesture of the work: a reflection on censorship, fear, and the unspoken emotions that artists must carry.

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The cement blocks attached to the performer’s feet represent the weight of societal and institutional constraints on artists. Through this gesture, Berhane expresses how silence can become a powerful form of communication when speech carries risk.

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The work was presented at the Addis Foto Fest, organized by Desta for Africa, in December 2014.