Sudão: Artists Paint the Pain of War.

Artist Galal Yousif, originally from Sudan, was forced to flee his country when the war broke out in early 2023, taking with him only a few belongings inside a small backpack, heading towards Kenya where he found temporary refuge.

The commotion, the suitcase, in which he stuffed his passport, two jeans, five shirts and a car key, are portrayed in his painting “Man with a Heavy Heart” which portrays the pain and loss that plagued the Sudanese people during this tumultuous period.

The Art of Anguish

Initially, the work was created as a mural in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where he arrived after a harrowing journey in June 2023. Now, having found temporary refuge in Kenya, he has recreated it on canvas.

The painting depicts a striking image of a man with his hand over his heart, surrounded by large circular red dots that resemble bullet wounds. A moon shines behind his head with a backpack on the ground, symbolizing everything the Sudanese people have lost in these months of conflict.

“I paint my pain.”

He said, in his home-studio in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. As an artist he states that his mission is to transform his personal experience into a collective visual narrative, offering a powerful vision of “many lost” in Sudan and the heavy burden of a “useless war".

The War in Sudan

The war began on April 15, 2023, when two government junta generals fell out, pitting the army against the formidable paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has since forced around 7,1 million people to flee their homes.

Yousif heard the first signs of war while working late at the end of Ramadan in his studio near the presidential palace in Sudan's capital.

In the early hours of April 15th he noticed troops gathering nearby. Sensing something was about to happen, he decided to go to his family's home in the north of Khartoum, arriving there just before dawn, when the clashes began.

Chaotic days followed, he said, as there was no water, no electricity and little food left – he had difficulty caring for his elderly aunt and uncle and other relatives. Every night he heard the sounds of planes and gunshots and saw large clouds of smoke descending over the city – which led him to decide to leave.

He hoped it would be a temporary move and managed to arrange bus tickets for the whole family to go to their ancestral home in the city of Rufa’ah, about 150 km southeast of Khartoum.

The Escape to Nairobi

As the situation worsened, and with his relatives too frail to travel further, Yousif realized that, as a well-established artist, he could do more to support them if he went to Nairobi. So, he left with his backpack on public transport to Metemma, a city on the border with Ethiopia, where thousands of people were going.

A month later, he managed to fly from Addis Ababa to Nairobi where he met a community of other Sudanese artists who had also fled Khartoum's once-thriving art scene.

According to Rahiem Shadad, an art curator in Khartoum, around 35 of these artists are now in the Kenyan capital, including other well-known names such as Bakri Moaz, Yasir Algari and Hani Khalil Jawdat. Others settled in Cairo.

Mr. Shadad who owns Khartoum's Downtown Gallery, representing many renowned contemporary artists, said that now, his art gallery is in ruins. A large amount of artwork, including at least 165 framed paintings and 300 other pieces belonging to 60 artists, was also lost, he says.

In recent months, the curator, who is also in Nairobi, has held numerous exhibitions of Sudanese art in the city. He recently created The Rest, a space for artists in exile to live and work, with support from Nairobi's GoDown Arts Centre.

Despite this warm welcome by the Kenyan artistic community, life is difficult for Sudanese artists due to asylum issues, lack of documents and the absence of substantial income.

“Some of these artists only came with $100 [€90] in their pockets.”

Mr Shadad explained, adding that many of them are also deeply traumatized by the experience and the loss of their entire catalogue.

Rethinking Sudan in Art

“Emotionally and spiritually, I’m not well.”

Artist Tibian Bahari confided in him about not being able to return to Sudan, where his father and sister still live.

It aims to keep Sudan alive – a “sacred and magical land” – through his work which currently focuses on portraying the country’s topography. This determination is reflected in the clothes he wears.

“I always wear my jalabiya every morning.”

she said, referring to the loose, ankle-length tunic with wide sleeves worn by men and women in Sudan. She feels a deep “responsibility” to share “truly” her journey and map the art of displacement and especially maintain a space for women artists in Sudan.

Many artists were part of the civil protest movement that led to the overthrow of Sudan's longtime leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Afterwards, the army initially reached a power-sharing agreement with civilian groups before seizing power and begin the decline that led to war.

These artists feel that their dreams have been crushed by the conflict and that the world has forgotten them, because of the war in Gaza. In recent weeks, the fighting has intensified. Yousif’s family was attacked by the RSF in Rufa’ah.

Before the phone lines were cut he heard that his family, including his aunt, uncle and some of his brothers, had been expelled from their home by the RSF. They managed to find shelter at their grandmother's house in the city center.

“For the second time, my family lost our home, first in Khartoum and now in Rufa’ah.”

“No one can leave here.”

he said, describing a city under siege, adding that they are virtually trapped, unable to move or flee. Just like his painting, Yousif feels like his heart continues to bleed.

Conclusion

Galal Yousif's account offers a vivid perspective on the tragedy of the War in Sudan, highlighting not only the material losses but also the profound impact on the artistic community.

These artists seek, through their art, to keep the history and cultural essence of their homeland alive. The fight to preserve the Sudanese identity persists amidst challenges and uncertainties, highlighting the capacity of these artists in the midst of adversity.

And while the eyes of the world turn to the War in Gaza, almost forgetting the War in Ukraine, the critical situation of the War in Sudan, with more than 7 million displaced people, continues to require attention in the eyes of the world, however it is consigned to oblivion, as if the lives of Africans were worth nothing compared to those of Ukrainians or Palestinians.

What do you think of this situation in Sudan? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.

Picture: © 2019 Hussein Merghani