Ethiopian Artist, Kidus, has been honoring his artistic skills for years. He started asking himself about the person he wanted to become since he was a little boy. Hence, that is the source of his inspiration to become the Artist he is now. He blends his artist’s skills to create a phenomenal piece out of photography and digital art. When we asked him about himself, he said “Born as Kidus and failing to live up to the name. He became “ አንዱ | UNDO”. A name he believes is the closest to who he is, and his true self.” Kidus is not only a visual artist but also poetic in the way he expresses himself, his works, and his surroundings.
Artists are made to become mysterious. It ranges from simplicity to complicated ways of looking at things and it is certain that Kidus can be both. He sees things in an unusual way but expresses them in a simple manner. We asked Kidus what he does and he responded with “He writes but is not a writer. He designs but is not a designer. He paints but is not a painter. He questions but is not a philosopher. He just does a bunch of stuff in an effort to free himself from himself. It’s his way of coming to peace with it. What he does first and foremost is for himself. And secondly, It’s for anyone that’s as confused as he is and wishes to be confused even more. It offers nothing but that.”
As an Artist, Kidus finds deep interest in the neglected side of this world. He continuously seeks people, objects, nature that have been ignored by the rest of the world. In his own words, he mentioned that inspiration comes from not knowing yourself and failing while trying to understand it. He said “ He finds deep interest in the repressed & thé denied. The unknown and the unknowable. It usually comes from not knowing one’s self and trying to understand it and failing terribly. And other times from the constant chaos & paradoxical drama that occurs between what he thinks ‘He is’ and what he thinks ‘He is made to be’. “
We appreciate Kidus for being an example for those who are in the process of finding themselves and for showing us it is possible to find beauty in the midst of failing to find yourself or become the person you’d like to be.
