Languages, with their nuanced intricacies, are fascinating, and the act of learning even a single word each day in a different language has the power to inspire.
New York-based Studio AW-DO's Emanuel Admassu and Jen Wood, through their installation showcased at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice (closing on November 26th), invite visitors to consider a word in Amharic, one of the Southern Semitic languages spoken in Ethiopia - "Ghebbi" - the focal point of their exploration.
"Ghebbi," in Amharic, signifies a compound or enclosure, evoking the imagery of a territory enclosed by a wall or fence.
King Fasilidas, who ruled Ethiopia in the 1600s, built for example the grand Fasil Ghebbi in Godar, the then capital of Ethiopia. Fasil Ghebbi was a compound where royal families used to live in.
A "Ghebbi" is mainly a haven of relative stability within a tumultuous and ever-changing city. The materials utilized to enclose the plots within a Ghebbi, though, are as chaotic as the city surrounding it and range from eucalyptus trunks to corrugated sheets, tarpaulin, metal grills, stone, and masonry.
This compound can house a diverse array of structures, from residences and schools to gardens, spaces of worship, and commerce.
The Ghebbi's boundary, both literal and metaphorical, extends beyond a mere line on a map, delineating a dynamic zone subject to the ebb and flow of politics, culture, and economy.
Studio AW-DO's installation inside the Arsenale serves as a boundary of sorts, a threshold that confronts visitors. The installation consists in bamboo scaffolding covered in blue tarpaulin, and secured with ropes.
This design intentionally evokes the ubiquitous bamboo scaffolding found on numerous construction sites in Addis Ababa, subtly alluding to the ongoing transformation and potential erasure of the Ghebbi.
These partitions create a symbolic transition within the space, a visual representation of moving between two distinct zones of the Corderie of the Arsenale.
Upon crossing this symbolic fence, visitors are greeted by a representation of the lush interiors of the Ghebbi, brought to life by two monumental tapestries suspended on either side of an existing arched opening.
These massive panels, woven in two distinctive palettes - one echoing the blue tarpaulin and the colour of the sky, in tones of blues and black, and the other mirroring the earth in tomato red, orange and green - were meticulously crafted at Tilburg's TextielLab.
The tapestries are a visual representation of the interior of the Ghebbi metaphorically enclosed inside the Arsenale.
Incorporating a variety of abstract and geometrical motifs rendered in wool or synthetic metallic yarns, but also figures peeking behind the corrugated structures and fences of the Ghebbi, the intricately woven panels invite visitors to contemplate the linguistic and architectural dimensions, creating an immersive experience.
Comments