What comes to mind when you think of animal skin? Fashion industry experts may think fashion accessories, animal rights activists may shriek at the very mention of it and the average Nigerian may think ponmo – let’s not go there.
Since the beginning of civilization there have been many uses for animal skin but in the town of Bishoftu, Ethiopia someone thought of something new-portraits.
Lemma Guya is an artist and retired airplane technician who pioneered skin-mounted portraits. His work which is completed using primarily goat skin and oil paint has been given the term Lemmism. Lemma was born between 1921 and 1929 to a peasant family in a village located in the Oromia region south-east of Addis Ababa, the capital city. His father was a farmer and his mother a housewife. Young Lemma spent his early years (reportedly from age 7-14) as a cattle herder but developed a love for art. He taught himself to draw by drawing on the walls of the family house using paint he mixed himself from lime, red soil and ashes.He also taught himself to make sculptures moulding them in the image of the animals he shepherded.
At age 14, his father was reportedly pressured to send his son to school in a nearby town called Bishofu (also known as Debre Zeyit). He began school and in 1943 was admitted to a teachers training college but left to join the airforce. In the airforce he began training as a soldier and mechanic under the Ethiopian Royal Airforce. After his training he was hired as an airplane technician.
During this period he still kept developing his skill as an artist. In his spare time he used his salary to buy tools he needed to perfect his craft. He eventually moulded an airplane model which caught the attention of the then reigning emperor Haile Selassie.
He held his first couple of exhibitions in 1960, the latter being attended by the emperor and other high-profile dignitaries. His work was becoming increasingly popular and was being showcased at many exhibitions including the Addis Ababa National Theatre (holding the same year) and even in Lagos for FESTAC in 1977 
In 1983 he built his mansion in Bishoftu with land given to him by the emperor, later turning it into a gallery called the Lemma Guya Gallery. He again changed the gallery to a museum due to the encouragement of people like the late Ambassador Olusola who was also an artist art enthusiast. The date as to when he began professionally making skin-mounted portraits is unclear but by the time he opened his museum he had a large room just for his portraits. Included in his collection were portraits of the now late emperor, Mengistu Haile Mariam (Communist Millitary), Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Athelete Deratu Tulle. Lemma now trains art students from all over Africa and welcomes tourists from all over the world to his museum.
Last year alone the National Heritage Council of South Africa sent 9 young artists from nine different provinces in South Africa to Ethiopia through the Batake programme to be trained under Lemma for 3 months. Nigerian artists have also trained at the museum. They include Mufu Onifade who later went on to create Araism and my mother Christie Akinsanya.
I myself had the pleasure of meeting Lemma Guya at his Museum when I lived in Ethiopia years ago. He seemed a very humble and pleasant man, very unassuming for someone with so much talent. He has five children 4 of whom are trained artists. Thier work is also on display at the museum. In an interview with China’s CCTV, he jokingly states “They are now better than me”.
One of his latest endeavours which he completed last year (he should be at least 85 years old now) was to make skin-mounted portraits of all 53 founding members of the African Union.
No easy feat.
Find Out More!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LaALUWi91HU
http://www.tadias.com/12/24/2014/lemma-guya-ethiopian-painter-still-going-strong-at-87/
http://www.academia.edu/6963857/A_SHORT_HISTORY_OF_LEMMA_GUYA_AND_HIS_ART_GALLERY
Affrino 