Elshalom Kibru Shume

I’m Elshalom Kibru Shume, a self-taught figurative painter based in Addis Ababa. I paint because there are things I don’t always know how to say with words. Much of my work comes from loss, grief, faith, and the quiet moments we carry inside.

I’m drawn to the human figure, especially stillness. A single expression, gesture, or moment of eye contact can sometimes say more than words ever could. Through my paintings, I try to make those quiet feelings visible — the things we hide, the things we lose, and the things we hold onto when everything feels uncertain.