ERMIAS KIFLEYESUS

° 1974

Born in Ethiopia, lives in Brussels (Belgium).

At the core of Ermias Kifleyesus’ practice are the ideas of trace and transience, people and places. For a number of years, the artist has been working on an ongoing project located in the international telephone cabins found in most cities, where people make overseas calls to family and friends. Often frequented by migrants, they are sites for connecting to other places around the globe, reflecting how societies have transformed more rapidly by the flow of people than at any other point in history. Kifleyesus installs folded posters and sheets of paper on the walls and tables within these cabins, which over time become covered in the interactive notations, markings, scribbles and drawings by individuals using them while making calls. The artist visits the cabins on a weekly basis to collect the sheets, which when unfolded are covered in these dynamic traces and markings. (NH)

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The M HKA is a museum for contemporary art, film and visual culture in its widest sense. It is an open place of encounter for art, artists and the public. The M HKA aspires to play a leading role in Flanders and to extend its international profile by building upon Antwerp's avant-garde tradition. The M HKA bridges the relationship between artistic questions and wider societal issues, between the international and the regional, artists and public, tradition and innovation, reflection and presentation. Central here is the museum's collection with its ongoing acquisitions, as well as related areas of management and research.

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