Enchanting ceramic sculptures.
Etiyé once wondered: “Who creates whom? Do my creations inspire me or do I inspire them?”
It is this reverie that is behind the humanity of her sculptures. This simple thought, one that only artists would entertain, made her capable of giving her sculptures colourful personalities and the vulnerability required to make them so convincing. These are the qualities that make her sculptures so powerful.
Etiyé Dimma Poulsen
°1968 – Ethiopia
Etiyé Dimma Poulsen was born in Ethiopia. After the untimely death of her mother she left the country and eventually ended up in Denmark, where she was adopted by her foster parents, hence the name “Poulsen”. A nomad nolens volens. Etiyé never had a formal education as an artist, instead she studied art history. After spending a less successful time as a painter, she came across ceramics by coincidence. The medium immediately fascinated her.
Etiyé uses metal wire to create the basic shape of her subject, after which she sculpts on top of them with fine clay. This is a slow, calming proces. What is important is that the wire shape underneath is still flexible, this allows her to make changes on the fly. Using natural pigments, the artist brings her works to life. Once the figure has its definitive shape, she bakes them in the oven. For Etiyé, this is a crucial step in the creative proces. There, in that mysterious blaze, is where her sculptures come to life. “Fire is a creative element which models my sculptures all in their giving life”. Etiyé harnesses the destructive power of the fire and turns it into a creative element, one that corrects her creations. Small cracks and tears appear which contribute to the naturalness of her sculptures, their vulnerability becomes apparent. It is in this blaze that the figures become complete, get their final colour and their true character. This proces is different for every sculpture, Etiyé believes that every sculptures deserves a unique treatment.
Although Etiyé is adamant that she does not create African art, it is fair to say African culture is, at the very least, a great inspiration.
The main subjects of Etiyé Dimma Poulsen’s art are people. Normal people, mostly women. Their bodies are depicted in an elementary way, with an emphasis on the breasts, buttocks and lips implying the “Africanity” of her subjects. Although Etiyé is adamant that she does not create African art, it is fair to say African culture is, at the very least, a great inspiration. Many of the sculptures have long necks, as if to emphasise pride and dignity. Sometimes she captures two or more figures blended into one shape, a great way to depict affection. Her subjects’ faces do not contain much detail, it is mostly the posture, the way the head is bending or turning that communicates emotion. Although many sculptures are very colourful and painterly, the colours are never too imposing nor decorative (her background as a painter is important in that regard), instead they radiate naturalness and authenticity. The often elongated shapes, the rough, cracked skin and the knowledge that the material is fragile, make the women, men and children of Etiyé Dimma Poulsen beautiful, vulnerable people who can unlock powerful emotions in every viewer.
Timeline:
1968 Born in Ethiopia
1974 Adopted in Tanzania
1975 English school in Kenya
1982 Primary and secondary school in Denmark
1988 Studied Art History in Denmark
1991 Opens workshop in France
2003 Living and working in Belgium
Exhibitions:
2023
Leonhard’s Gallery Antwerpen Fusion & Fission
2021
Gallerie Florence B. Noirmoutiers (France)
D’Haudrecy art gallery Knokke Belgium
2020
Gallerie Claudine Legrand Paris
2019
Leonhard’s Gallery Antwerpen “A touch of gold”
D’Haudrecy art gallery Knokke Belgium
2018
Gafraart Mayfair London UK
Gallerie Claudine Legrand Paris
Gallerie Florence B. Noirmoutiers (France)
2017
Leonhard’s Gallery Antwerpen ‘Syncretically Yours’
Gallerie NAG Paris France
2016
Galerie GG. Bohrer Bonstetten Zürich
Capazza Nancay France
Galerie Claudine Legrand Paris
2015
Leonhard’s Gallery – Antwerpen ‘Blue Obsession’
Gallerie Ravier Bourreau Noirmoutier (France)
2014
‘A Human Journey’ – Leonhard’s Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Bedington Gallery Seillans (France)
Galerie Claudine Legrand Paris
2013
Galerie Claudine Legrand, – Paris, France
Galerie GG.Bohrer – Bonstetten, Zürich, Switzerland
2012
Capazza – Nançay, France
Galerie 23 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2011
Bekris Gallery – San Fransisco, US
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris
Galerie Terra Viva – Saint-Quentin-la-Potterie, France
2010
“Traces of colour”, “Reminiscence” – Leonhard’s Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Bedington Fine Art – Bargemon, France
Galerie Elfie Bohrer – Zürich, Switzerland
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
Galerie de l’ancienne Poste – Toucy, France
2009
Galerie Genevieve Godard – Lille, France
Willem Elias – Woluwe, Belgium
Galerie Strenger – Tokyo, Japan
Bekris Gallery – San Fransisco, US
Centre d’art André Malraux – Colmar, France
Musée Théodore Deck – Guebwiller, France
Gallery Christa’s Fine Art – Copenhagen, Denmark
2008
Permanent exhibition in Leonhard’s Gallery since 2008.
Galerie Strenger – Tokyo, Japan
Joie Lassiter Gallery – Charlotte, US
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
Papirfabrikken Silkeborg – Denmark
European Parliament
Charteaux d’Ardelay – Les Herbiers, France
‘Black Womanhood’ – Hood Museum of Art, New Hampshire, US
Worldbank -Washington, US
2007
Koloniënpaleis – Tervuren, Belgium
UNESCO – Paris, France
Galerie D’Haudrecy – Knokke, Belgium
Musée Maurice Denis – Paris, France
Galerie Elfie Bohrer – Bonstetten, Switzerland
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
Wertz Contemporary – Atlanta, US
2006
Skoto Gallery -New York, US
Galerie Capazza – Nançay, France
Centre Culturel Scharpoord – Knokke-Heist, Belgium
Gallerie Des Emibois – Switzerland
2005
Wertz contemporary gallery – Atlanta, US
Gallery Knud Grothe – Charlottenlund, Denmark
Gallery Marc Van Meensel Holland Art Fair – Den Haag, The Netherlands
Galerie Hamlin Honfleur – France
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
Lineart – Ghent, Belgium
Galerie 23 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2004
Museum of World Culture – Göteborg, Sweden
Lille Art Fair Gallerie Hamlin – Lille, France
Gallerie Genevieve Godar – Lille, France
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
St’art 2004 Galerie Hamlin – Strasbourg, France
2003
St’art – Strasbourg, France
Gallery Knud Grothe – Charlottenlund, Denmark
Smithsonian Museum of African Art – Washington, US
Galerie des Emibois – Switzerland
Galerie Hamlin Honfleur – France
Galery MAM, Douala – Cameroun
MOBA Gallery – Brussels, Belgium
2002
Alliance Française, Addis Abeba – Ethiopia
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
2001
Gallery MAM, Douala – Cameroun
St’art 2001 – Strasbourg, France
October Gallery – London, UK
Artist in residence, Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
Château des Carmes – La Flèche, France
2000
Biennale of Dakar – Senegal
Gallerie Hamlin Honfleur – France
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
Galerie Capazza – Nançay, France
1999
Gallerie des Emibois – Switzerland
Maison de la Ceramique – Mulhouse, France
Galerie Geneviève Godar -Lille, France
1998
Galerie des Emibois – Switzerland
Galerie Claudine Legrand -Paris, France
Galerie MAM, Douala – Cameroun
Galerie Arts Pluriel – Abidjan, Ivory Coast
1997
Bomani Gallery – San Fransisco, US
Afrique en Creation (Ministère de la Cooperation) – Paris, France
Centre Wallonie Bruxelles – Paris, France
Galerie Claudine Legrand – Paris, France
1996
Centre Culturel – Meudon, France
Galerie Hamlin – Honfleur, France
Galerie Genevieve Godar – Lille, France
1995
Cultural centre La Nacelle – Aubergenville, France
1989
Industrial space Dong – Copenhagen, Denmark
Museum Collections:
The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art – US
Smithsonian, National Museum of African Art – US
Hans Bogatzke, Collection of contemporary African art – Germany
Newark Museum – New Jersey, US
Hood Museum – Hanover, New Hampshire, US
La Piscine Musée d’art – Roubaix, France
World bank Washington Collection – US
Television:
2003 ‘double je’ Bernard Pivot
Trophées of the French language ‘Couleurs noirs’ Film of Bérengère Casanova T.V. Brussels
Film:
2000 – ‘Etiyé Dimma Poulsen’
2005
Femmes du Feu / Women of Fire