Betelhem Makonnen_________ቤተልሄም መኮንን                                                         




















untitled (in the beginning was thephoton)/2024











                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 







untitled (in the beginning was the photon)
2024

Betelhem Makonnen w/ Adrian Aguilera
Neon tubing 
Texas State University’s Live Oak Hall


Austin, Texas-based artist duo Betelhem Makonnen and Adrian Aguilera describe their neon artwork, untitled (in the beginning was the photon), as highlighting “the inherent link between light waves (composed of photons) and communication, spotlighting communication’s power to go beyond imparting information to profoundly shaping our perception of the world and ourselves in it.” The artwork is installed on the exterior of Texas State University’s Live Oak Hall, the film and television building. The use of neon script references a long line of minimalist and light artists who have also used this commercial medium in artistic expression.

The work expands on the seminal quote from media theorist, Marshall McLuhan, "the medium is the message." "Whether through print, radio, television or other forms, media plays a crucial role in shaping culture and society."

According to Makonnen and Aguilera,
“In our ever-increasing era of information overload, it is more critical than ever to remember that we have the power to shape media even as it shapes us.”

This work was made in collaboration with fabricators at Neon Jungle, Lucid Art LLC and traditional neon benders at Ricochet Neon.



Photographs courtesy of Eric Acuña.
















Freedom of Expression/

2024








Freedom of Expression
Cornell Council for the Arts
John Hartell Gallery, Cornell Architecture,
Art and Planning

Exhibition: 

March 4 - 29, 2024




During the 2023–24 academic year, Cornell University President Martha Pollack announced “Freedom of Expression” as the first in a series of annual themes designed to orient the university around a crucial component of academia. In the artistic realm, freedom of expression is a central pillar. Similarly, the arts are central to Cornell Council for the Arts and the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (Cornell AAP), providing the foundation for a natural collaboration in the form of an exhibition showcasing the importance of artistic free expression.

people the We is a collaborative installation by artists Adrian Aguilera and Betelhem Makonnen of works that cultivate their continuous curiosity about the relationship between symbols and collective identity, transnationality and diaspora perspectives, and history’s inextricable hold on the present. The collection of works – reimagined US flag, video installations, and a large wall vinyl – conflate the past with the future and the analog with the digital delving into foundational discussion of American citizenship.

Cornell Council for the Arts (CCA) is a university-wide cultural organization that provides a platform for the creation of and public discourse on the contemporary arts on Cornell University’s campus.


Featuring work by:
Adrian Aguilera & Betelhem Makonnen, Osiel Aldaba,
Leighton Beaman and Zaneta Hong, Imani Day, Victoria Lee, Chiedza Musiiwa & Mia Wang, Sopheak Sam, and Fabia St-Juste.



alien to alien communication (civil)

untitled (soy loco por ti américa)


Press
Cornell Chronicle



Photo credit: Anson Wigner / Cornell AAP






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