Analog in Ethiopia | Group Photography Exhibition

ArkieTadesse | CoreyHart | GelilaGetahun |  Haymanot Honelgn | IoanaLungu | SebastienCaileux | ValentinaKim

The Artawi Gallery invites you into a world where the tactile, deliberate nature of analog photography challenges the instant gratification of the digital age. Through the works of  Arkie Tadesse, Corey Hart, Gelila Getahun, Haymanot Honelgn, Ioana Lungu, Sebastien Caileux and Valentina Kim, this exhibition explores the resurgence of a medium once thought obsolete, now revitalized by a new generation of photographers and viewers alike.

This exhibition is more than a mere showcase oaf images; it is a contemplation on the craft of analog photography and the unique experiences it offers. Here, the grain, the texture, and the shadows within each photograph are not mere technicalities but essential elements of a narrative that speaks to memory, imperfection, and the art of seeing. The process of capturing an image on film, with all its inherent unpredictability, is celebrated as much as the final result. It is a journey where patience and care are as important as the destination.

As you navigate the darkened gallery, punctuated by limited light and prints that hang as if drying in a darkroom, you are invited to consider the power of the analog process. What draws individuals—many of whom never experienced the heyday of film—back to this medium? What does the tactile engagement of film photography offer in a world dominated by digital immediacy?

The exhibition not only presents the aesthetic and technical virtues of analog photography but also delves into its broader cultural implications. It invites reflection on why, in an era of endless digital possibilities, there is a renewed desire to reconnect with a medium that demands a slower, more deliberate approach to seeing and creating.