Description
Acrylic on canvas, Dereje Shiferaw (Ethiopian, born 1976)
The Red Bird Above, 2025
In The Red Bird Above, Ethiopian artist Dereje Shiferaw presents a vivid red form suspended above a fragmented, ever-changing landscape. Suggestive of a bird in flight, this striking presence draws the eye across a composition of layered textures, expressive marks and shifting colours.
The contrast between the bird’s bold silhouette and the restless forms beneath it evokes a tension between chaos and transcendence, grounding and freedom. Amid the composition’s sense of movement and uncertainty, the red bird emerges as a quiet yet powerful symbol of hope, resilience and the possibility of rising above the complexities of the world.
Through a dynamic interplay of collage and acrylic, Shiferaw creates a landscape that feels both unsettled and full of possibility, inviting viewers to reflect on what the bird might represent to them: a witness to the world, a gesture of liberation, or a fragile reminder that hope can endure even in uncertain times.
100 x 100 cm
Signed ‘Dereje (front)
Provenance: Direct from the artist
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