Originally from Ethiopia, Eyakem Gulilat’s work is rooted in the search for belonging. Through photography, he navigates the complexities of cross-cultural interactions, exploring how time, memory, and place shape our experiences. His images provoke questions about the relationship between subject and photographer, the borders that define us, and how perspectives shift when viewed through the camera’s lens.
Gulilat holds a BA from Abilene Christian University and an MFA from the University of Oklahoma. He has been an artist-in-residence at renowned institutions such as the Center for Photography at Woodstock, New York; Newspace Center for Photography in Portland, Oregon; and Light Work in Syracuse, New York. His work has been honored with awards including a National Endowment for the Arts grant in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa, the National Photography Fellowship at the Midwest Center for Photography, the En Foco Photography Fellowship, and the Project Row Houses and University of Houston Fellowship.
His work has been widely exhibited across the U.S. and Canada and is held in notable public and private collections. Gulilat is currently a Tulsa Artist Fellow.