Ethiopian artist Alexander Tadesse, one of the most vibrant voices in contemporary African art, unveils his latest exhibition, Together in Time, at Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema, Malta. This new body of work offers a heartfelt look at the beauty and strength of human connection through colour, emotion, and shared experience. Yet, while the exhibition celebrates togetherness, it also carries a bittersweet note. Due to a visa rejection, Tadesse was unable to travel to Malta to attend his own opening. In a striking twist of fate, the artist who paints so passionately about unity and human bonds found himself separated from the very audience he sought to reach. Still, his art made the journey which is a vivid reminder that creativity can transcend borders, even when people cannot.
Born in 1983 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tadesse studied at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design at Addis Ababa University, later specializing in painting at the Entoto Polytechnic College of Fine Arts. His artistic journey spans painting, graphic design, and cartoon animation, a rich blend that gives his work depth, movement, and emotional resonance. His influences are drawn from his life in Africa and his travels around the world. Tadesse’s art reflects the cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity that defines humanity. Through his paintings, he expresses how difference can coexist in harmony and that beauty lies not in sameness but in shared connection.
In Together in Time, Tadesse invites viewers to explore how people are linked through memory, rhythm, and everyday gestures. His paintings are alive with vibrant colour and emotion, capturing fleeting moments that feel both intimate and eternal. Each artwork is like a visual conversation, between the past and present, between individuals and their communities. Tadesse uses the canvas to show that our connections are not limited by time or geography. “Together in Time is more than an exhibition,” says Tadesse. “It’s an invitation to remember, to reflect, and to cherish the beauty of being together.” That message becomes even more poignant as the artist himself experiences separation. Although unable to be physically present, his voice echoes through every brushstroke. The distance between artist and audience only strengthens the exhibition’s message: that connection is not defined by proximity, but by empathy and shared emotion.
Tadesse has exhibited widely across Africa, showing at Alliance Ethio-Française (2019), Laphto Art Gallery (2019), the Kampala Art Biennial in Uganda (2014), Afri Art Gallery in Uganda, and Capital Hotel and Spa in Addis Ababa (Chella Launch, 2014). His solo shows include Guramayne Art Center (2016) and The National Museum of Ethiopia (2014). His latest exhibition in Malta marks another important step in his artistic journey, one that highlights both his international reach and the global resonance of his themes. While bureaucracy may have kept him from attending, his work crosses those barriers with grace. The irony only deepens the exhibition’s meaning: when human systems divide us, art can still bring us together.
Through Together in Time, Tadesse continues his lifelong exploration of human connection, across generations, cultures, and moments in time. His work captures the strength of communities, the quiet intimacy of shared stories, and the resilience of love and unity in an ever-changing world. Each painting reminds us that while we may be separated by borders, we remain bound by the same emotional threads. Art, in Tadesse’s hands, becomes both a bridge and a mirror reflecting who we are together, and who we might become if we keep choosing connection over division.
This exhibition stands as both a celebration and a symbol — proof that even when borders close, the spirit of art continues to unite us all.
Together in Time runs until 30th October 2025 at Christine X Art Gallery in Tigne Street corner with Hughes Hallet Street in Sliema. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm.
And for those who can’t be connected in person, Christine X Art Gallery invites you to view the works in their Artsy Viewing Room or on their website.