With his Ethiopian background, Ermias Kifleyesus takes a critical stance with questioning to the hegemony of Western historiography. African history as it is known in the West is full of holes and hidden stories. The dark side of colonisation, the theft of natural resources, and oppression barely get a mention.

In the work ‘Sewn 2018’, Kifleyesus applies a concept that brings to light what’s behind the various layers of a painting. He takes existing paintings (found on the street, given by friends or amateur painters, or made by himself) and applies an adhesive technique in order to transfer the surface of the original painting to a new canvas, revealing what was underneath. Kifleyesus then carries out a series of modifications to this new painting. In the work ‘sewn 2018’ he makes multiple scratches in the revealed leyers of the world map. This act reflects the aritst’s desire to consider the hidden layers of history that helped to facilitate the growth and success of the West. (text by the team of Extra City)

‘Sewn 2018‘ was part of the exhibition ‘Eating each other’ in Extra City (Antwerp) in the summer of 2018.