Theo Eshetu's 'The Garden of the Broken-Hearted' is set to mesmerise visitors at this year's Venice Biennale. The British-Ethiopian artist presents an olive tree on a rotating dais, with its video projection looping endlessly. This intriguing piece reflects his lifelong quest to blend cosmopolitanism and world narratives.

Reflecting on Eshetu’s career, we see how he continues to explore themes of human consciousness and the interconnectivity of global stories. His works like 'Till Death Us Do Part' and the iconic 'The Return of the Axum Obelisk' encapsulate his vision of a world seen through multiple lenses.

In an interview with A.i.A., Eshetu explains how this piece is both about absence and presence, suggesting that any viewer can bring their own narrative. He notes that it's also a return to roots – not just ethnic ones but a pre-human consciousness, teaching us lessons we may have forgotten in our culture-centric paths.

The artist’s journey in bringing the tree from its natural habitat is a microcosm of his larger themes. Just as the Axum Obelisk’s relocation unleashes narratives, so too does Eshetu’s moving of this olive tree to Venice, symbolising the quest for truth and connection across time and space.