Born in 1985, Emanuel Tegene trained at Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in 2008.

While at Alle, he worked for Saloon Ethiopia as a cartoonist, challenging himself to create subtle and elegant illustrations. Later, working on projects as diverse as movie storyboards and book covers, he widened his practice as a way of evolving his language of artistic expression. Currently, Emanuel works as a full-time studio artist and continues to develop his practice, realizing his natural affinity for drawing and recording his surroundings. As part of a movement of contemporary Ethiopian artists, Emanuel is largely occupied with exploring the possibilities created by artists responding to the changing cultural dynamics of the society around them. Emanuel captures thoughts, scenes, ideas, and conversations from life around him in his artwork. His various encounters with people he meets inspire him to recreate their stories on canvas.