Muluneh, Aida

Aida Muluneh’s work considers the role of time—literally and metaphorically—in relation to Ethiopia’s history and her own future as an African woman. The World is 9 (2016) series refers to a saying from the artist’s grandmother: “The world is 9; it is never complete. It is never perfect.” In this collection, Muluneh’s use of body paints harkens back to Ethiopian traditions and customs. The notion of looking forward and backward, collectively at our past, as a means of re-imagining our futures are themes deeply entrenched within the Afrofuturist movement, and she was included in the 2018 Museum of Contemporary Photography exhibition focused on Afrofuturism, In Their Own Form.