Ethiopian photographer at New York City’s largest annual photography event

Rising Ethiopian photographer Eyerusalem Adugna will have her photography featured at Brooklyn’s pop-up photography fair, Photoville, featuring portraits she took at the holy town of Lalibela. Speaking at her studio in Bole Medhani Alem area, Addis Ababa, Eyerusalem says that she is excited about the opportunity which means meant a lot to her. As a young photographer, she is pleased to have this occasion to show her works at a prestigious venue and said she is grateful to Russel Fredrick, her mentor and the photographer who nominated her for the show. Eyerusalem will be heading to New York on Tuesday to attend the exhibit.
Photoville is described as New York City’s largest annual photographic event–a modular venue built from re-purposed shipping containers creating immersive and interactive photographic exhibits and it opens Wednesday, September 21 and closes Sunday, September 25.
The 23-year-old Eyerusalem, with a perfect oval face and curly hair, and a barely contained bundle of energy, devotes her time as a freelance photographer producing images and copy for a print media production, tour companies and for a variety of clients.

(Eyerusalem Adugna in her studio in Bole Medhani Alem area)
She purchased her first Sony camera in 2013 and taught herself basic photography skills using books and the internet. Born in Addis Ababa to an affluent family, she did her primary and high school education in Nazareth School, Ethio-Parents’ and Bright Future School and continued studying in Baltimore City Community College in the States. “I went to the US for autocad training but I came back a year before earning my associate degree. I felt lost and homesick, so I gave it up,” she says in her soft, sulky accent.
After her return to Addis, she enrolled at the Next Fashion Design Institute to become a fashion designer. She also realized she had an interest in photography and her interest grew more and more during the past three years. She did several projects, including traveling to Hawasa and Lalibela with fellow photographers to work on a series of photo essays, which she displayed at the group exhibit in Morning Star Mall in Bole area and a solo exhibit at Clay Pot Restaurant around Olympia area last August.

(Eyerusalem’s photo exhibition at Clay Pot restaurant in Addis Ababa)
Courteous and energetic, Eyerusalem brings much of her own calm and gentility to her work, creating brightly coloured portraits of people. Eyerusalem posts her photos on Facebook and Instagram.
Eyerusalem is thankful for her parents whom she says are a big supporter of her work. Her mother owns Quick Net Trading, a printing and publishing company, located in Bole’s Novis building, and with her help, Eyerusalem just rented a shop at Bishoftu’s Kuriftu Resort to make her works widely available for potential buyers.