Visible Secrets

An Exhibition by Bereket Zeleke

Artist Statment

Bereket Zeleke's artistic practice is deeply rooted in the emotional, psychological, and political complexities of contemporary life, often shaped by his own lived experiences. Working primarily with expressive figurative forms, he employs scale, texture, and symbolic abstraction to explore themes of trauma, identity, inner conflict, and resistance. Each of his works becomes a visual reflection of moments that are intensely personal yet universally resonant-where individual emotion intersects with broader societal truths.

In his recent body of work, Bereket investigates the tension between internal struggles and external expectations. In pieces such as Restless Madness and Revolt Against Oneself, he confronts the emotional chaos that arises when one's sense of purpose is clouded by societal pressure or silence.

Similarly, works like Betrayal and Unheard Cries of Distress delve into the pain of broken trust and the invisible weight of carrying emotional burdens in isolation.

Themes of motherhood, masculinity, and social responsibility emerge powerfully in works such as Infertility and Limited Ideas, where Bereket explores the mental, cultural, and political constraints that shape human experience-particularly within the Ethiopian context. These paintings examine the inherited and imposed duties that often define, restrict, or inspire personal identity.

Bereket's approach is intentionally raw and unfiltered. He embraces vulnerability as a tool for reflection and transformation. In My Son's Alphabets, the spontaneity of a child's first handwriting becomes a gateway to memories of his own beginnings. In Deathless Desire, he confronts mortality, sacrifice, and the hunger for power through the lens of political conflict. Throughout, his work serves as a means to process memory, reclaim agency, and initiate dialogue.

Ultimately, Bereket's art is an act of witnessing and survival. His work seeks to translate invisible emotions into visible form and to confront the personal and political systems that often suppress truth. With each brushstroke, he holds space for discomfort, healing, and the layered complexity of what it means to be human in a fractured world.

Artist Biography

Bereket Zeleke is a contemporary visual artist based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Born in 1993, Bereket developed a strong interest in art from a young age. He began his formal artistic education at Abyssinia Fine Art School, where he graduated with the highest score and was awarded a one-year full scholarship. He continued his studies at TMS Polytechnic College, specializing in painting, sculpture, and graphic art.

Over the years, Bereket has established a dedicated studio practice focused on translating deeply personal experiences into visual language. His work has been featured in more than fifteen group exhibitions and one solo show. Notable exhibition venues include the National Museum of Ethiopia, Alliance Ethio-Française Art Festival, Hilton Big Art Sell Festival, and Gion Art Festival.

In addition to his artistic practice, Bereket actively engages in community work. He has volunteered as an art instructor for orphaned children, underscoring his belief in the transformative and healing power of creative expression.