Arthur Rimbaud was born in France in 1854. He wrote his first poems at the age of fifteen but suddenly gave up literature in 1875 to become an explorer, merchant and journalist. From 1880 to 1890, he lived several times in Harar pursuing his childhood dream to live intensely, to be constantly on the move in a frantic quest to explore the unknown.
Emmanuel Benoit has always been fascinated by him. In 2016, Emmanual moved to Addis Ababa for three years, where he observed the comings and goings of the capital’s blue taxis. He then undertook a massive and itinerant installation, pasting Rimbaud’s image onto hundreds of Lada taxis in the capital and also on Peugeot 404 taxis of Harar.
« I created a round, more dynamic image, slightly different from the iconic photograph taken by Carjat in 1871, and the idea was to keep the image in motion ».
When he returned to Ethiopia in 2023, Emmanuel continued this project by buying a Peugeot 404 taxi in Harar and driving it back to Addis Ababa.
Emmanuel’s Exhibition Statement
« My exhibition will be a unique opportunity to celebrate contemporary art, Ethiopian history and the wonderful adventure of driving my Peugeot 404 taxi through the country’s breathtaking landscapes. This journey is a nod to Arthur Rimbaud’s expedition to Shoa in 1887 when he went to Entoto to meet Menelik.
It took me three days in November 2024 to reach Entoto from Harar.
My taxi will be presented as the centerpiece of this exhibition. Extracted from the streets of Harar, it will become an art object, whilst remaining a strong image of automobile history in Ethiopia
A film, shot with a super 8 camera will offer an artistic vision of this journey. Additionally, a few large photos will highlight some of the exceptional design details of the Peugeot 404 styled by the Italian Pininfarina ».
ONE NIGHT ONLY EXHIBITION!
On: Saturday, May 17, 2025 @ 6 PM
At: Paul Ries HQ , Piazza, near the Alliance
Ethio-Française
To receive an invitation, contact Emmanuel Benoit at this number 0966689887