Desta Hagos

Desta Hagos (; born 1952) is an Ethiopian artist, credited for being the first woman painter to hold a solo exhibition in Ethiopia. As of 2017, she has participated in more than 50 exhibitions, and her work has been shown internationally in countries such as Canada, the United States, Korea, Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Qatar. She paints landscapes alongside abstract pieces, and she frequently focuses on depicting the day-to-day experiences of women.

Early life and education Desta Hagos was born in 1952 in the town of Adwa, located in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia. Her interest in art was sparked by a gift of crayons from her father when she was five years old. When she was nine, she moved to Addis Ababa.

In 1966, Desta earned a diploma from the Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts and Design and became the school's first female graduate. She followed it up with a Bachelor of Arts degree in visual arts in 1969. Her work and developing style as a painter was influenced by artist Gebre Kristos Desta, who was one of her teachers. She is credited as the first woman painter to have held a solo art exhibition in Ethiopia. Desta was prevented by authorities from following him. In 2015, one of her paintings appeared at an Ethiopian cultural exhibition at the Katara Cultural Village in Qatar, while her art also featured in the international Miami Art Basel, marking the first year Ethiopian artwork had been included at the Miami-based art fair.

Her paintings often focus on nature and landscapes, along with more abstract pieces. One of her topics of focus is the day-to-day experiences of women.