BIOGRAPHY
Etsegenet Melkamu Lemma is an Ethiopian human rights lawyer, writer, and emerging curator whose practice explores the intersections of contemporary art, memory, human rights, and social healing. Her work is grounded in the belief that art can create spaces where difficult histories can be remembered, voices can be heard, and possibilities for healing and dialogue can emerge.
She currently works as a Human Rights Officer at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, where she works on human rights education and issues including transitional justice, gender-based violence, and the rights of marginalized communities. These experiences inform her developing curatorial practice and interest in socially engaged and participatory approaches to exhibition-making.
Her recent project, Echoes of Healing: Art, Memory, and Reconciliation, brings artists and survivors into a collaborative process exploring memory, dignity, and healing through contemporary art. She is interested in expanding her curatorial practice internationally and learning from curators working across art, memory, justice, and social change.