He may be from a country not everyone has heard of, but his paintings contain emotions everyone should be able to connect with.

The faces in Eritrean artist Fitsum’s 20 oil paintings at “African Soul” in Gallery Tongkeun in Gwanhun-dong, central Seoul, portray universal feelings such as suffering and agony, depicted with bold strokes of vivid color.

Eritrea is a small African country of less than 6 million people, situated next to Sudan to the west, Ethiopia to the south and Djibouti to the southeast. It was established as an independent state about 20 years ago after 50 years of colonization by Italy and another 30 years at war against Ethiopia.

Reflecting its name which means “red land,” Fitsum’s homeland is hot, sparsely-populated and poor. Scarred and having lost his identity in the war-stricken country, the 30-year-old artist moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he currently works. Nairobi, meaning “cold water,” seems to soothe the artist’s wounded heart. There, he searches for different faces, in which he finds different identities and histories. Through the process the artist regains his own self as well.

Fitsum’s Seoul show was made possible by Frederique Puchercos, wife of Lafarge Halla Cement’s president Michel Puchercos. When she came across one of the artist’s works at a restaurant in Nairobi in 2006, she fell in love with it. She supported the artist’s first show in Paris in 2008 as well as the current one in Seoul. Two of the exhibits are from her own collection of the artist’s works.

“Usually when painters paint portraits they intend to paint it like a photo. Fitsum has a different way, a style of his own to bring out the emotion and depth of the people he paints. He will enhance something about the person ― the personality or what they express through their eyes and face,” said Puchercos.

The exhibition runs through Dec. 7 at Gallery Tongkeun @ Gwanhun-dong, central Seoul. For more information, call (02) 732-3848 or visit www.africarho.co.kr.

By Park Min-young (claire@heraldcorp.com)