Overview

Telsem, an Ethiopian art form combining astrology, religion, and spirituality, integrates symbols, drawings and texts with profound spiritual and philosophical meaning. Shaped by Ethiopia’s sociopolitical history, telsem addresses contemporary issues such as climate change, war and poverty. Although still practised today, it is often labelled as ‘healing art’ or ‘talisman art’ within western frameworks, limiting its place in modernist discourse.

This monograph explores the art of Henok Melkamzer, featured in Sharjah Art Foundation’s 2024 exhibition Henok Melkamzer: Telsem Symbols and Imagery, the largest solo exhibition of the artist’s work and the first major showcase of telsem in the region. Curated by the late Professor Elizabeth W. Giorgis and organised by Sharjah Art Foundation, The Africa Institute and the Sharjah Museums Authority, the exhibition repositioned telsem as a contemporary intellectual tradition, moving beyond its narrow categorisation.

The monograph comprises a foreword by Foundation director Hoor Al Qasimi, documentation of Henok’s work and an interpretive guide to telsem aesthetics. Also included are critical reflections from historian Salah M. Hassan, artist Julie Mehretu and postdoctoral fellow Semeneh Ayalew Asfaw and an essay by Giorgis that places Henok’s practice within the telsem tradition and the broader contemporary art scene.