Merikokeb Berhanu Untitled XLI, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
91 x 122 cm (35 7/8 x 48 in)
Executed in acrylic on canvas, Untitled XLI was produced shortly after Merikokeb Berhanu relocated from Ethiopia to the United States.
The painting combines abstract and representational elements, forging a distinct formal vocabulary in viibrant colors. The biomorphic imagery evokes associations with life: Rounded shapes invoke cells, buds, seed pods, or embryonic life, suggesting processes of germination, growth, flowering, and witherinh – underlying themes that are more intuited than stated.
Following her relocation to the United States, her practice evolved in response to the encounter with a consumer-driven culture and an increasing ecological awareness, articulated through the adoption of more vibrant, fluorescent, and overtly synthetic color palettes.
The painting combines abstract and representational elements, forging a distinct formal vocabulary in viibrant colors. The biomorphic imagery evokes associations with life: Rounded shapes invoke cells, buds, seed pods, or embryonic life, suggesting processes of germination, growth, flowering, and witherinh – underlying themes that are more intuited than stated.
Following her relocation to the United States, her practice evolved in response to the encounter with a consumer-driven culture and an increasing ecological awareness, articulated through the adoption of more vibrant, fluorescent, and overtly synthetic color palettes.