RADFORD -- “Affirmation of the Self,” an exhibition by Ethiopian native Tesfaye Tessma, begins Thursday, April 3, in Radford University’s Gallery 205, Powell Hall. The opening reception is at 5 p.m.

Tessma was trained in Addis Abada and Howard University in Washington, D.C. Part of RU’s African Cultures Festival, the exhibition features pieces that synthesize African and Western elements to create paintings that speak to the affirmative human experience.

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. - noon and 1 - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission to the reception and exhibition are free and open to the public. The show continues through May 16.

To learn more, call the art department at (540) 831-5754.