Alitash Kebede — Part III: Romare Bearden, the encounter that changed her life.

Alitash Kebede with June Wayne’s String Wave.

“Herbert Gentry asked me how did I get into art. I said ‘Really, it’s Romare Bearden’.”

We are delighted to present Part III, our finale of our video chat with Alitash Kebede.
Part I traced the sparks that lit her interest in art as a young person living in Ethiopia; her arrival in the US, and the growth of her love for art. In Part II, Alitash shares her journey from working in the record industry, to establishing a non-profit gallery at Stevie Wonder's KJLH, to finally striking out on her own as a private art dealer; in Part III Alitash recounts the story of her first meeting with Romare Bearden and how he changed the direction of her life.

“Romare taught me that when you give, you give your best.”

Kebede was recently referred to in Forbes Magazine as one of the most influential persons in the world of contemporary art: Under The Radar: The Top Five Black Women You Should Know In The Art World

I was delighted to chat recently with Kebede about her beginnings, she always bringing sparkle and wit to any topic. Kebede spoke to us from a studio visit with the artist Raksha Parekh whose painting Kamala is seen behind her.