Fasil Assefa is an international painter, born and raised in Merkato, the busiest side of Addis Ababa. Fasil grew up in Merkato, watching the hectic scenes of one of the largest open-air markets in Africa. He mentioned that he was inspired by the vibrant colors and chaos of the bustling city. Merkato is filled with energetic business people and consumers; it is contagious. The adventure of shopping at Merkato allowed Fasil to capture several moments of solitude within the chaos. Fasil followed his inspiration and decided to further learn about it and earn a diploma in Drawing and Painting from the Master of Fine Arts and Vocational Training Center in 2002. He also completed a certificate course from the Abyssinina Fine Arts and Vocational Training Centre in 2003. He continued to develop his painting skills by taking his degree from the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design of Addis Ababa University in 2007. Fasil didn’t stop learning for a long time which is proof of the extraordinary details in his artworks.
Fasil works mainly using acrylic on canvas. He likes to explore styles and techniques, including comic-like paintings that majorly depict Addis’s wild side. These street scenes are familiar to anyone who has visited the capital, especially those who have to drive through Addis Ababa’s indispensable traffic. Fasil held his most recent exhibition, Wudassie, which includes impressions of Lalibela and realistic paintings of heritage sites located in Addis Ababa. His works have been exhibited in multiple hotels, museums, and solo shows. Imperial Hotel, Addis Ababa Museum, and Abysnnia Gallery have had the chance to host his fantastic artworks. St.George stands out as a consistent exhibitor by having his works in the permanent collection since 2011. Some of these include life paintings of historical buildings in Piazza, one of the oldest areas in the capital. Fasil becomes continuously inspired, not only by his country but also by his trips abroad. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Germany, Austria, France, and the Netherlands are a few countries he visited to showcase his works. His passion comes from internal motivation that has pushed him to cone his painting skills from time to time, more than enough to be recognized internationally.
Aside from painting, Fasil enjoys writing poetry. He has been acknowledged as an Ambassador for Peace by the Universal Peace Federation and Interreligious & International Federation for World Peace. Fasil is known for his extraordinary works, and we appreciate his continuous effort to express himself and our country in different lights and stages.
