Ethiopia’s art community is mourning the loss of Behailu Bezabih, a celebrated painter, educator, and one of the pioneers of modern Ethiopian art. Assistant Professor Behailu passed away on April 10, 2026, at the age of 66.
Behailu was a longtime faculty member at Addis Ababa University’s Alle School of Fine Arts and Design, where he not only taught but also served as Associate Dean for Research and Technology Transfer. Known for his deep commitment to nurturing creativity among his students, he was instrumental in linking Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage with modern and experimental art practices.
Born in Addis Ababa in 1960, Behailu began his formal training at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design, graduating in 1980. Over the decades that followed, he became a fixture in the country’s art scene, contributing significantly to both the academic and creative development of Ethiopian art.
After the fall of the Derg regime, Behailu was among a generation of visionary artists who helped redefine Ethiopian art for a new era. He was a founding member of the Dimension Group, an influential collective credited with pushing artistic boundaries and introducing fresh perspectives to the local modern art movement.
His works were widely recognized for their spontaneity and expressive freedom — qualities he often described as being influenced by his decades of teaching young children at Hiwot Berhan Elementary School. This experience, he said, allowed him to reconnect with pure creative instinct and authentic self-expression.
Behailu’s legacy reaches far beyond Ethiopia’s borders. His art has been exhibited internationally, earning him respect and admiration across continents as a representative of Ethiopia’s evolving modern art narrative.
