Betiel Ghirmay Araia

Held In Layers l

This work explores how identity is shaped through memory, including personal experiences and stories passed down through generations. Through circular form, layering, and textile, I express how heritage remains alive through artistic reinterpretation, reflecting how cultural knowledge is carried over time.

“Held in Layers I centres on the circular form as a space of gathering and connection. The circle draws from communal structures in Eritrean life, where people come together through shared meals, ceremonies, and everyday practices. It also suggests a sense of continuity, where past and present remain connected and carried forward.The surface is built through continuous line drawing of faces that are then cut and layered to create depth. Each face acts as a trace of memory, forming a collective presence rather than a single identity. Through this process, the work reflects how identity develops over time through lived experience and connection.Wrapped in netsela, the piece holds these layers together. The fabric shifts from a wearable garment to an artistic surface while maintaining its cultural presence. In this work, netsela becomes a way of carrying and protecting memory, showing how cultural practices continue through use, repetition, and making.”