Wosene Kosrof

  • Lori Austin has had the honor of representing internationally acclaimed artist Wosene Worke Kosrof for 25 years.

    Over the past four decades, Wosene (his professional name) has created an internationally recognized artistic signature in his work by being the first contemporary Ethiopian-born artist to use the script forms -- fiedel -- of his native Amharic as a core element in his paintings and sculptures.

    This recognizable 'signature' emerges from the way he elongates, distorts, dissects and reassembles Amharic symbols -- not as literal words -- but as images that speak for themselves in a visual language accessible to international audiences. Jazz improvisations underlie his compositions, animating them with rhythmic movements and emboldening his masterful use of color.