In Conversation: The Work of Gabriella Ghermandi and the Atse Tewodros Project

The work of renowned Ethiopian-Italian author, singer, and musician, Gabriella Ghermandi, was recently featured on the BBC website.

In this event held in person at Senate House, Gabriella will talk about the major developments of her career as a writer and as a musician, the themes that run through her work, and the challenges of moving between artistic media. She will discuss the writing of her book on Ethiopian memories of the Italian invasion and occupation of the country from 1935 to 1941, Regina di fiori e di perle (2007) [Queen of Flowers and Pearls]; she will reflect upon her work as a live performer, exploring how the Ethiopian experience of occupation has been experienced; and she will talk about her work as a singer and musician with the Atse Tewodros Project, an initiative that forges musical collaborations between Ethiopian and Italian musicians with whom she has worked since 2010 and with whom she has produced the new album Maqeda.

The discussion of the multi-faceted nature of Gabriella’s work will be accompanied by recorded examples of music and with the short live performance of Addis Ababa your African Heart.

The event is part of the School of Advanced Study’s celebration of Black History Month and is supported by the AHRC funded project, Uncovering the Afterlife of the Italian Empire and the Centre for the study of Contemporary Women’s Writing.

All are welcome to attend this free event. Please register in advance to attend, by clicking Book Now at the top of this page. The event will be followed by a wine reception.