Wosene Worke Kosrof
— Wosene WOrke Kosrof—
Over the past four decades, Wosene has created his own idiosyncratic and recognizable artistic signature found throughout his work, the use of the Fiedel script, derived from his native Amharic language, which is incorporated into his paintings. The use of the ancient script, combined with abstract influences from the American modernist movement, synthesizes seamlessly on his canvases to create works which speak to Kosrof’s own experiences as an American – Ethiopian. The script is often found in his work accompanied by musical notes, a separate nod to another of his great influences, American jazz music, which he often plays whilst working, serving as a tool of inspiration.
Formally trained at the Addis Ababa University, Alle School of Fine Arts and Design, he completed a BFA with distinction in 1972. Then, as a Ford Foundation Talent Scholar, he was awarded an MFA in1980 from Howard University in Washington, DC.
Wosene has exhibited extensively in museums and institutions around the world. His works is in the permanent collections of major museums, including the National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa; Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (DC); The Newark Museum (NJ); Neuberger Museum (NY); Indianapolis Museum of Art (IN); Birmingham Museum of Art (AL); Krannert Art Museum, (IL);Fleming Museum (VT); the Völkerkunde Museum, Switzerland and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.
Curriculum Vitae
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1972 - present: Professional studio artist: painting and sculpture
2000 - 2001: Artist - in - Residence, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA
1996: Artist - in - Residence, Rockefeller Foundation, Bellagio, Italy
1984: Artist - in - Residence, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA
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National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC
The Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL
Crocker Museum of Art, Sacramento, CA
Museum of African American Art, Los Angeles, CA
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Baltimore Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh-Durham, NC
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
Völkerkunde Museum, Zürich, Switzerland
United Nations, New York, NY Rockefeller Collection, New York, NY
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
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The Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY
Keith Haring Museum of Japan, Kobuchizawa, Japan
National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fleming Museum, Burlington, VT
Folkens Museum Etnografiska, Stockholm, Sweden
Paul Mahder Gallery, Healdsburg, VA
Skoto Gallery, New York, NY
Sullivan Goss Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
Lori Austin Gallery, Sonoma, CA
Thelma Harris Gallery, Oakland, CA
Waterkoulors Fine Art Gallery, Memphis, TN
Hoshigaoka Gallery, Kochi, Japan
St. George Gallery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Loft Galeria, Puerto Vallarta, MX
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Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC
The Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Sharjah Art Museum, Calligraphy Biennial, Sharjah, UAE
Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, FL
Crocker Museum of Art, Sacramento, CA
Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK
Zweigmuseum Schloss Oettingen, Oettingen, Germany
Malmo Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
Fleming Museum, Burlington, VT
Cantor Museum, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Kennedy Museum of Art, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Fowler Museum, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
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The New York Times
Washington Post
Financial Times
San Francisco Chronicle
Winston-Salem Journal
Philadelphia Tribune
San Jose Mercury News
El Nuevo Dia (San Juan, PR)
Yamanashi News
African Arts
Art & Antiques
ArtWeek Magazine
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WOSENE: Beyond Words, published by Sullivan Goss Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA, 2022
WordPlay: The Life of Script in Painting and Sculpture by Wosene Worke Kosrof, catalogue accompanying solo exhibition at The National Museum of Ethiopia, 2010-2011
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1980: MFA, painting and drawing, Howard University, Washington, DC; Ford Foundation Talent Scholar
1972: BFA, painting, drawing, design, School of Fine Arts, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Graduated with distinction
