From Addis to Seattle: Paintings of Yadessa Boja

Born in Ethiopia, Yadesa, also known as Yaddi, immigrated to the United States in 1995. Yaddi showed an interest in art since his early childhood. Even though he does not remember when he started painting, as a sixth grader his school commissioned him to paint a mural.

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Above: Dreamer

Yaddi’s first exposure and memories of art was as a child gazing at murals often found in Ethiopian Orthodox churches. These murals used line drawings filled with bold, vibrant colors.

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Above: Worshippers

In Seattle, Yaddi studied art at Seattle Pacific University where he earned his Bachelors degree in Visual Communication. He also attended Seattle Central Community College and received an Associates of Art degree in Graphic Design.

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Yaddi’s exposure to African Art and western art gives him a unique opportunity to understand their relationship as well as their differences. While studying art history Yaddi examined how every art genre and classification derived or inherited from each other, and the existence of one was based on the existence of the other. He also examined the influence of African art on western art and vice versa.

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Above: Madonna

Yaddi believes his work is a byproduct of the cultural diversity he enjoyed while living in Addis Ababa and Seattle. In his work he tries to capture the life of those who are ‘invisible’ to the mainstream, and he hopes that his work will become a tool for social change.

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Above: Prisoners of Haven

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To contact the artist please write to: YADESA BOJIA, 13745 34th Ave. S. Tukwila, WA 98168 Tel: 206-501-9958

12 thoughts on “From Addis to Seattle: Paintings of Yadessa Boja”

  1. The immense potentialities you have got for Arts that we know is there since your childhood is gradually unfolding. I personally believe that mountains of that are to come yet.

  2. i have no clue how to measure the artistic qualities or standard of those products. i am sure they are world-class; but…to me they mean not much. can someone help me explain why these artistic works are great?

  3. Dear BK,

    First, I like to thank you for your honest assessment. As an artist i believe there is no measured value to art work. Some you like, some you don’t.( some like Picasso , some like Thomas Kincade). I think you need to measure it’s artistic value based on the connection you have with the art work in front of you. Personally, I don’t do art to please the viewer or for decorative nature of it. I do it to challenge them. To ask the hard question and to give a human value to what i consider challenges we face. For example, “Worshippers” It actually need to be “Powershippers” depicts the Corporate greed and the dehumanization factor of worshipping power and money. (consider being a lobbyist to medical insurance company, and work to protect a poor family from having a medical insurance)

    I am sure you will find great artworks and enjoy them in the future.
    Good luck

    Yadesa

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