Exhibition
Dance
Video Artists
Living Rooms
Exhibition Concept
Catalogue

Meskerem Assegued was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the height of an Ethiopian renaissance. Under Emperor Haile Selassie, the country had developed a focus on indu- stry and education. When she was a teenager, the emperor was overthrown, bringing the country into a new phase of socialism and military rule. It was a time of fear and uncer- tainty. Teenagers suspected of instigating a revolution became subjects of brutality. After high school, her parents managed to send her to the US where she attended college, mar- ried and had two children. While Meskerem Assegued was still in the US, Ethiopia under- went another revolution and the current government took over. She soon returned to Ethiopia with her family.

Literature, music and visual art have always been a major part of her life. She believes, that art stimulates the senses, breaks language barriers and explores the boundaries of time and space. At the same time, art and its in- terpretation are necessarily subjective. Meskerem perceives art not only through her senses but through her memories and ex- periences.

As a curator, she sees herself as a storyteller. There is a beginning, middle and an end to all her exhibitions. She also believes in collabora- tion. Meskerem Assegued curates based on ideas developed through discussions and close working relationships with the artists. From the moment she began sharing her thoughts for the exhibition to Katharina von Ruckteschell-Katte and Hartwig Fischer, they understood the concept and gave the green light. This trust was the greatest motivation behind all the effort she put into coordinating this exhibition.