Acclaimed furniture designer Jomo Tariku discusses his design process and his relationship to the history of design, including the use of drawings like those by eighteenth-century designers, like those seen in the Promenades on Paper: Eighteenth-Century French Drawings from the Bibliothèque nationale de France exhibition, on view through March 12. The lecture is presented as part of the Clark’s Conversations with Artists series.

Ethiopian American artist and industrial designer Jomo Tariku is known for his modern African-themed furniture. Tariku’s pieces include a variety of artistic designs that synthesize his own experiences of diverse culture, historical structures, architecture, traditional furniture, colors, artifacts, landscapes, wildlife, hairstyles, and more. As a child growing up in Ethiopia, Tariku was drawn to the eclectic art, souvenirs, and furniture pieces his father collected during his travels throughout Africa and beyond.

Tariku, whose work has recently been acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, synthesizes styles across time and space. His craft expresses a modern harmony of heritage, humanity, and design sensibility. Tariku’s namesake collection, launched in 2017, has been featured in numerous publications including Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, and Interior Design. His work has even entered the realm of popular culture, with several of his chairs and stools featured in the set design for Marvel's Black Panther, Wakanda Forever movie.

Free. Please register for the Zoom transmission or click here and use passcode 230753 to join the webinar.

This talk was originally planned as an in-person event but will now be held virtually.

Photo by Gediyon Kifle.