Who are you? Please give us an overview of your cultural background/heritage?
I’m Zion, a 23 year old artist originally from Ethiopia. I moved to Australia when I was 7. I have always loved creating, but got into painting about 4 years ago whilst working at my old job (The Reject Shop). I always found myself drawn to the crafts aisle so one day I decided to take a canvas and some paint home and give it a go – from there ArtisticnoiZ was born, a fusion of many realities. A collision of culture and the abstract. I am inspired by my African roots and Australian surrounding.
Name one thing you really passionate about and why?
I am passionate about creating art. I generally paint as a way of meditating, unwinding, expressing my thoughts/emotions and getting my message across etc. I want my pieces to inspire viewers to look deep within and be introspective, to find peace, to let go of everything their holding on to and just pause for a moment.
My paintings are heavily textured so I encourage people to connect with the artwork by coming up close, seeing, feeling the textures and connecting with the piece in more than one way.
How has living in a multicultural society shaped who you are as an individual?
It’s made me more aware that there are a lot of people out there who want to know more about other cultures. I believe we (especially Africans) can use a variety of methods to bring our culture to life whilst being inclusive to all who want to contribute and express the greatness of our culture. I always try to bring out my culture in everything I do every opportunity I get.
What aspects of Australia’s multicultural society do you find fascinating?
I moved to Melbourne from Perth about 2 years ago and I find Melbourne more multicultural aside from the clubbing scene. It could be better but I think Australia is quite diverse. I find a lot of Australians are open to learning and encouraging multiculturalism which is a beautiful thing.
What kind of experiences have you had in relating with people whose backgrounds differ from your own? Any key lessons from these experiences/encounters?
I’ve had good encounters with people from different cultural backgrounds. The biggest learning was to be open to the experience but also to be cautious with your actions and reactions in those moments – to avoid offending anyone unintentionally.
In your opinion, how can multiculturalism be used as a vehicle for positive change in our society?
Our culture is a big part of who we are so I guess encouraging people to express and celebrate their cultural background openly and most importantly getting people from other cultures involved.
What fun and interesting activities/events can we do/hold to aid in bridging the cultural gap thereby creating an inclusive society for all to enjoy?
I’m not sure if this already ongoing but I think having some sort of multicultural day event (like how primary schools used to do that) would be amazing. I know there are festivals like Spanish and African festivals but I think there should also be some that bring different cultures together.
Follow Zion: @artistic_noiz
