Michael Adonai

Michael Adonai (born 5 December 1962, in Asmara) is a visual artist from Eritrea. He is currently living in exile in Australia. He joined the Eritrean People's Liberation Front in 1977 where he studied Fine Art for three years, specializing in painting. He has participated in several art shows and claimed numerous prizes. His work has been shown throughout Eritrea, as well as Ethiopia, Sudan and Italy. Adonai has also authored five books in the Tigrinya language and co-authored two, most notably Hanetay’s Destiny Collection of play, 2012, The verdict of mount Arey Novel, 2012, Windows of Mai Mne Novel, 1998, and Red Mosob Novel, 1998^[1] He is a five-time winner of Eritrea’s national painting competitions, including the prestigious Raimok prize in 2002^[2]

From an early age, Adonai had an interest in painting, influenced by his older brother Berhame, who went on to also get some ntoriety as an Eritrean painter. At fifteen he joined the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front with his brother Berhame. This revolutionary organization began Adonai’s formal education in painting with his enrollment at the EPFL Cultural Establishment in 1978 .hHs early work was highly political, choosing to focus on the hardships endured because of the Eritrean war for independence. His later work has focused on a traditional painting style in Eritrea known as Coptic art. This change in style grew from Michael's having moved up to the Eritrean Highlands, which by his own admission “Opened my eyes up to the rest of the world”,^[1] this is where he first encountered ancient Coptic churches and monasteries believed to be painted with bright vivid color by Egyptian or Syrian Christian missionaries.^[3] This bright, vivid use of color, and use of Coptic forms and symbols will come to define his work for decades.

References

"Michael Adonai: Inspiration of a great Eritrean artist". Retrieved 2010-01-19.