M HKA Ensembles

° 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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