Born in Ethiopia, Tegene Kunbi grew up surrounded by vivid colors, craftsmanship and the everyday practices of textile making. Although he has spent several years living between Addis Ababa and Berlin, his work remains deeply connected to his place of origin. The artist frequently draws on personal memories, experiences of migration and relationships with local culture, emphasizing that the materials used in his works are inseparable from the stories of specific people. Textiles play a particularly important role in this process. Kunbi was raised in an environment shaped by craft traditions and artisanal practices. The fabrics he incorporates into his works today evoke memories of the people and places to which he remains closely connected.

Kunbi’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in a fascination with color, materiality and memory. He creates multilayered compositions through the thick application of oil paint, pastel, acrylic and textiles, which have become some of the most distinctive elements of his visual language. The fabrics incorporated into his paintings reference Ethiopian history and the everyday work of artisans. Many are sourced from local markets, which serve not only as centres of trade but also as vital spaces for fostering social relationships and community ties. Kunbi regards fabric as a carrier of memory and cultural identity. This choice is deliberate – textiles have held a significant place in Ethiopian culture for centuries and today contribute to a broader conversation about the country’s social and economic transformations. While the expanding textile industry, increasingly oriented toward global export, creates new employment opportunities; it also raises environmental concerns, including high water consumption in a country where access to clean water remains uneven.

Rather than depicting specific places or events, Kunbi’s abstract paintings evoke the energy of the landscape, traces of human presence and the emotional depth of memory. In a world where globalization increasingly blurs local distinctions, the artist consistently emphasizes the importance of local traditions and histories.

The dela.art collection features Patchwork Family, a work that encapsulates many of the key themes present in Tegene Kunbi’s practice. Fragments of fabric combined with vibrant fields of color create a composition centered on the idea of connection – linking experiences, histories and memories of diverse individuals. The “family” in the title extends beyond kinship, pointing instead to a broader community shaped by culture, tradition and shared experience.