In this artwork, we can see that the painter and graphic artist Tulu Guya is using nature as a link between the art elements and the human image. Following the postmodern artistic approach, he gives a polycemic meaning to the message of the painting by using a symbolic expression. In this work, as in a modern philosophy of art, the academic style has changed from the previous academic style. In addition, the freedom in choosing the subject matter and the method of creating something new make this work modern.

 

The simplicity of form, the freedom in the treatment of color, and the brushstroke are the highlights of this work. All the objects and figures represented in this painting are always in motion, inviting the public to be part of the composition. Through this work, the artist establishes a social dialogue and creates a close relationship between trees and humanity.

 

Tulu is one of the modern Ethiopian artists renowned for their refined technical skills in the art of printmaking. This has allowed him to build his style and become an experimental artist. Although he never talks about the possible influences on his artwork, he does not hesitate to mention the high technical degree in woodcut engraving that he learned from the German Professor Hansen Bahia, who was his engraving instructor at the School of Fine Arts of Addis Ababa.

 

This painting conveys a message interconnected by its form and content. Through a visual language, it depicts how nature and humans as living beings are mutually connected by linking tree branches and structuring them in lines. Furthermore, by using a painting of a half-naked girl’s painful expression, which conveys the girl’s utter sadness, the artist draws the public’s attention to man-made environmental challenges and calls for action to protect the environment.