Yesterday, I attended the opening reception at Ottawa Art Gallery for Haleta: ሀሌታ | The Threshold of Being, a thoughtful group exhibition curated by Danayit Ephrem Zeru.
Featuring the work of Maria Abebe, Yasmeen Boudabés, Aurelie S. Kadjo, Kouka, Natasha Lalani, Legacy, Mariya, Meraf, Miiche, Jayda Murray, Rika, Tolu, Vafi, and Yomi, the exhibition brings together a diverse range of artistic perspectives exploring language, identity, memory, emotion, heritage, and the shared experiences that connect us.
At the heart of the exhibition is the Amharic word Haleta (ሀሌታ). The word originates from Ge’ez, an ancient language of Ethiopia, and describes a state of becoming that exists just before the first step — an unseen threshold where possibility, hope, memory, and transformation converge.
Rather than simply representing a beginning, Haleta speaks to that subtle moment immediately before something comes into being. It is the space of anticipation, uncertainty, and possibility.
That idea carries throughout the exhibition.
Each participating artist selected a word that holds personal significance. Some words are connected to their own cultural backgrounds, heritage, or languages, while others come from different cultures and traditions that have resonated with them personally.
The artists then translate these words into visual language through painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media.
What makes the exhibition particularly compelling is the way these individual interpretations come together. Although the artists are working from different cultural perspectives and experiences, the works reveal emotions and states of being that can be understood beyond language.
There is something fascinating about trying to understand an emotion or experience through a word that may not have a direct translation into another language. Haleta embraces that gap rather than attempting to eliminate it.
Walking through the exhibition, the works feel like individual conversations about the things that shape us — where we come from, what we remember, what we hope for, and the person we are becoming.
The exhibition also becomes a reminder that language can both separate and connect us. We may not always share the same words for an emotion, memory, or experience, but the feelings themselves can still be deeply recognizable.
Through these varied artistic approaches, Haleta: The Threshold of Being celebrates the richness of human expression while emphasizing our shared humanity.
The exhibition asks viewers to look beyond words and consider the moments, emotions, memories, and connections through which we recognize something of ourselves in one another.
Haleta: ሀሌታ | The Threshold of Being is on view until November 8, 2026, at the Galerie Annexe on Level 1 of Ottawa Art Gallery.
Check out the gallery from the opening reception.
