Forging their own path
Bold, abstract, geometric paintings and vivid acrylic still lifes contrast with shapes of birds and animals emerging from Arabic script in this collection of Sudanese art, writes Barbara Buchanan.
Sixteen artists’ illustrations, collages on advertising paper, oils on canvas and ink on paper, offer insight into the breadth of the country’s visual culture.
Hussein Gamaan’s intense magenta flowers in a vase against a burning yellow backdrop, with a locust crouched at the top, show a use of colour just as daring as Matisse.
Other striking images include Mohamed Abdella Otaybi’s ink on paper of a bull and two figures against a stylised geometric pattern depicting a tree and hut.
Hassan M Musa’s dramatic The Quiet Ferryman depicting a boat on choppy seas, crammed with people struggling to survive, draws you in. The versatility of Musa’s art is revealed in his book of illustrations that harness Arabic calligraphy to produce images of birds and a mesmerising portrait of a woman reminiscent of Klimt.
Hassan Ali Ahmed’s haunting Homage to Hussein Sherrief explores the artist’s Nubian roots with a tiny face floating against brilliant blue, yellow and ochre colours of the Nile.
Elsewhere in the exhibition, Abdalla Bola’s arresting cubist oil paintings of figures in a stylised deconstructive style comparable with Georges Braque, make a lasting impression.
These artists were undoubtedly influenced by the Khartoum School formed in the 1960s following Sudan’s independence. However, in a country wrecked by civil war they had to rely on their own resources to survive. They worked as teachers, musicians, illustrators and designers influencing generations of Sudanese through their work in the arts, including television and theatre, shaping the people from an early age through children’s book illustrations and cartoons such as Sharhabil Ahmed’s humorous character A’mk Tungo.
Curated by Dr Fathi Osman and Yafil Mubarak, this is the fourth exhibition by Almas Art Foundation dedicated to the Sudanese art at risk of being lost in the current conflict.
Founder and chief executive of Almas Art Foundation, Farah Jirdeh Fonkenell said: “Dispersed communities are vital in achieving and revitalising culture, acting as custodians of heritage.”
This collection offers insight into the innovation, resilience and commitment of Sudanese artists to keep creative expression alive.
Almas Art Foundation, Arch 28, Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London SE1 0LR until March 8, 2026. Admission Free.
Full details: https://www.almasartfoundation.org/
