A Culture Older Than the Canon
Most global art history syllabi stop at West African sculpture.
But Ethiopian visual culture stretches back over three millennia — predating many traditions typically taught in classrooms and museums. It’s rich, complex, spiritual, and still largely absent from global discourse.
We’re here to change that.
Why Ethiopian Art Must Enter the Academic Conversation
I’m Dejene Hodes, founder of Adulis Ethiopian Art. I returned to Ethiopia — my birth country — to help tell the stories that have been overlooked, using the voices and visions of the country’s living artists.
Adulis isn’t just launching a collection. We are reviving a lineage — one that deserves to be studied, taught, and preserved.
A Call to Professors, Scholars, and Cultural Thinkers
If you’re an art history professor, a scholar of visual culture, or someone who shapes educational conversations, you are exactly who we hoped would see this.
You have the power to influence how Ethiopian art enters the next generation’s awareness — not as an exotic sidebar, but as a central visual narrative.
Here’s how we’d love to collaborate:
- Mentorship or Advising: Help us frame the work in a way that is historically and culturally grounded
- Academic Partnerships: Introduce us to institutions, spaces, or networks that care about cultural continuity
- Interviews or Dialogues: Share your insights on art history, pedagogy, or cultural preservation
We’re open to collaboration — whether it’s guest writing, classroom integration, curating a digital exhibition, or simply exchanging ideas.
Why It Matters Now
As you know, professors often hold the keys to the art world’s future curators, critics, and thought leaders. And scholars like you:
- Know people who curate
- Know people who write
- Know people who fund
- Know people who shape cultural value
Together, we can reframe how Ethiopian visual culture is studied, shared, and honored — not as an emerging trend, but as a global legacy.
Let’s Start a Conversation
If any of this resonates, I’d be deeply honored to speak with you. Even a short 15-minute conversation could help advance a vision I’ve been working toward for over six years.
You can reach me directly at:
📧 CEO@adulisethiopianart.com
Warmly,
Dejene Hodes
Founder, Adulis Ethiopian Art
P.S.
We’re planning two U.S. gallery tours per year, beginning in 2026. Each tour will feature small exhibitions in cities where this work can live in meaningful conversation with the public.
If you know spaces, institutions, or people where this could thrive — or simply want to stay in the loop — I’d love to hear from you.
