Exiled artist Galal Yousif expresses Sudan’s turmoil through his artwork “Man With a Heavy Heart,” capturing the country’s profound loss since April.
Exiled artist Galal Yousif says his work Man With Heavy Heart embodies Sudan’s loss since April.
Artist Galal Yousif fled Sudan amidst the conflict earlier this year, carrying only a few possessions crammed into a small backpack. His painting, “Man With a Heavy Heart,” captures the turmoil he experienced, depicting a man with a hand over his heart amidst large circular red dots resembling gunshot wounds. Yousif initially created this work as a mural in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after a challenging journey in June. Now finding temporary refuge in Kenya, he has recreated the powerful image on canvas.
In his Nairobi home, doubling as his studio, Yousif explains that his art serves as an outlet for his pain, aiming to transform his personal ordeal into a visual representation of the collective suffering in Sudan. The painting symbolizes the losses suffered by the Sudanese people during the eight-month conflict, represented by a moonlit scene with the man and a backpack on the ground, holding the essence of what was left behind.
Yousif recounts how he first sensed the approaching conflict while working late in his studio near Sudan’s presidential palace. Recognizing the signs of impending turmoil, he hurriedly drove to his family’s home in Khartoum’s north
He recounts tumultuous days when necessities like water, electricity, and food were scarce, struggling to care for elderly family members amid the chaos. Each night, the echoes of planes and gunfire filled the air, accompanied by ominous plumes of smoke engulfing the city. Faced with this, he made the tough decision to leave, initially hoping it would be a short-term relocation. Securing bus tickets, the family headed to their ancestral home in Rufa’ah, 150km away from Khartoum.
However, as conditions worsened and his relatives couldn’t endure further travel, Yousif realized his potential to offer better support by heading to Nairobi due to his established status as an artist. Carrying only a backpack, he embarked on public transport to Metemma, a town bordering Ethiopia, where numerous people sought refuge.
A month later, he secured a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, where a community of Sudanese artists who had fled Khartoum had gathered. Approximately 35 artists, including notable figures like Bakri Moaz, Yasir Algari, and Hani Khalil Jawdat, now reside in Kenya’s capital, with some others settling in Cairo.
Khartoum’s Downtown Gallery, owned by curator Rahiem Shadad, representing esteemed contemporary artists, now lies in ruins. He estimates a significant loss of artwork—about 165 framed paintings and 300 other pieces belonging to 60 artists have vanished.
Shadad, now in Nairobi, has organized several Sudanese art exhibitions in the city and recently established The Rest, a sanctuary for exiled artists, in collaboration with Nairobi’s GoDown Arts Centre.
Despite the warm reception from Kenya’s art community, Sudanese artists face challenges due to asylum issues, lack of documentation, and insufficient income. “Some arrived with just $100 [£80],” notes Mr. Shadad.
The artists are also grappling with emotional and spiritual distress, having lost their entire body of work. “I’m not okay emotionally and spiritually,” Tibian Bahari, an artist, confides, lamenting her inability to return to Sudan, where her father and sister still reside.
Her focus lies in preserving Sudan—a land she describes as “sacred and magical”—through her artistic endeavors, currently centered on capturing the country’s terrain. This dedication is reflected in her attire; she starts each day donning her jalabiya, a traditional ankle-length robe with wide sleeves worn by both men and women in Sudan.
She carries a profound sense of duty to authentically convey her journey and to navigate the portrayal of displacement, particularly ensuring a platform for Sudan’s female artists. Many of these artists played pivotal roles in the civilian protest movement that led to the ousting of Sudan’s long-standing leader, Omar al-Bashir, in 2019. Despite initial power-sharing agreements between the army and civilian groups, the country spiraled into conflict, shattering the dreams of these artists. They feel abandoned by the world, overshadowed by conflicts like the one in Gaza.
Recent events have seen a sharp escalation in fighting. Yousif’s family in Rufa’ah has come under attack by the RSF. Before communication was cut off, he learned that his aunt, uncle, and some of his siblings were forcibly displaced from their home by the RSF. They sought refuge at their grandmother’s house in the city center.
“This is the second time my family has lost our home—first in Khartoum and now in Rufa’ah,” Yousif laments, painting a grim picture of a city besieged. “We’re trapped; no one can leave,” he adds, illustrating their predicament as virtual prisoners, unable to move or escape.
Source: BBC News
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