Gebre Kristos Desta

Ethiopia's Painter and Poet Extraordinaire )1932-1981)

Gebre Kristos Desta was one of Ethiopia's leading painters, a poet and an inspiring and dedicated teacher. From his exemplary life and work in pre and post- revolutionary Ethiopia, his work and experiences in exile, until his untimely death in 1981 in Lawton, Oklahoma, USA. Gebre Kristos created may important milestones in the history of contemporary Ethiopian Art.

Gbre Kristos, the painter-poet,was born in 1932 in the Eastern province of Harar. His father, Aleka Desta, was a clergyman in Harar and a graphic artist with the title Aleka. Aleka Desta was trained as an apprentice in the church school and was familiar with traditional clerical literature and religious art of the Ethiopian Coptic Orthodox Church. Like most accomplished traditional ratios, he copied may religious manuscripts with illustrations.

Gebre Krisos Desta completed his elementary education in his native town of Harar. Like most children of his age, young Gebre Kristos had the dream of becoming a soldier. He wen to the Haile Sellassie 1st school and finished at the general wingate high school. He later joined the science department at the Haile Sellassie 1st University, presently Addis Ababa University. In a county where agrarian workers comprise 90 percent of the population. Gebre Kristos was encouraged by his family to become a professional farmer. Gebre Kristos din not, however, peruse the filed of scientific agriculture in college. Instead, his spare time was spent reading all available material on art. The young sudden also painted whenever possible.