Introducing Hana Getachew
The paintings presented were part of a gallery show I held entitled "Document of my Culture". The works represent my emotional and spiritual connections with Ethiopia, experienced in the form of sepia toned memories. As are most works of the diaspora, the pieces are imbued with the nostalgia of home.
I acquired my undergraduate degree in Design Environmental Analysis from Cornell University and am now pursuing my masters in the same program. My projects as an undergraduate reflected my interests in cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in design. Senior year, through a grant from Cornell I participated in an architectural internship in Addis Ababa. The internship allowed me to observe design from a cross cultural approach. While there are vast commonalities, issues of climate, geography, cultural values, historical traditions permeate and influence design strategies and solutions. During my stay I was able to visit Axum, Lalibela and Gondar. The following semester I held an exhibition on Ethiopian architecture entitled "Monumental Works" featuring my photographs. It was this experience that allowed me to develop my first ideas on my master's research. Currently I am researching cultural representation in museum design, to create working models for Ethiopian museums and galleries.