Abyseenia is a concept that goes beyond the usual visual artistry. It is an artistic heritage that is rooted in the highlands of Ethiopia. Each hand-crafted piece from our Debre Zeit studios is custom made and guaranteed to be one-of-kind as no two pieces can ever be replicated. The artistry is based on the continued legacy of the legendary Ato Lemma Guya who lived and worked as a renowned visual artist/painter of his time, his work and worth was beyond visual arts but an African legacy in the likes of Picasso, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Susan Wenger, Jimoh Buraimoh etc.
Lemma Guya Gemeda (1928–2020) was a celebrated Ethiopian painter, airplane pilot, and author, renowned for his pioneering use of goat skin as a canvas for his portraits. He created almost 10,000 original artworks, many of which depicted Ethiopian and African leaders, including portraits of the 53 founders of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Lemma Guya’s legacy is defined by his innovative use of goat skin, his powerful social commentary, and his role in documenting African and Ethiopian history through portraiture
Lemma Guya Gemeda (1928–2020) was a celebrated Ethiopian painter, airplane pilot, and author, renowned for his pioneering use of goat skin as a canvas for his portraits. He created almost 10,000 original artworks, many of which depicted Ethiopian and African leaders, including portraits of the 53 founders of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Lemma Guya’s legacy is defined by his innovative use of goat skin, his powerful social commentary, and his role in documenting African and Ethiopian history through portraiture
The Painter-in-Chief and the Arts Director of the Lemma Guya Legacy today is Dawit Lemma Guya. He was born not with a silver spoon in his mouth but with a ‘painting brush’ in his hand. “ A brief bio of Dawit will come here with his image at work.
Dawit is working out of the studio/Gallery founded by his legendary father in whose shoes he is trying to fit.
The Painter-in-Chief and the Arts Director of the Lemma Guya Legacy today is Dawit Lemma Guya. He was born not with a silver spoon in his mouth but with a ‘painting brush’ in his hand. “ A brief bio of Dawit will come here with his image at work.
Dawit is working out of the studio/Gallery founded by his legendary father in whose shoes he is trying to fit.
As per the tradition of the house, every piece is painstakingly fashioned in much the same way as it was in the beginning. Our maxim- ‘as seen on skin’ is a reflection of the fact that every single work is build on one single goat that once roamed the Abyssinian highlands. The canvass remains the goat skin. Under special conditions, when the request for a larger than life size images are ordered, the bovine skin comes in to play otherwise, the caprine option is retained.
