Khartoum International Fair 2014

The first week of February saw the 31^st International Trade Fair of Khartoum, held at the well-manicured fairground in Burri. For 31 years, Sudan has annually presented its goods and manufacturing to the world. From peanut oil and sugar cane to henna, petroleum and automobiles, every industry with the “Made in Sudan” stamp is represented here. Amidst all the unrest and social problems in this country, it is a time to remember and show the world exactly what Sudan has to be proud of when it comes to trade and business. This year there were also many international exhibitors, showcasing for instance technologies from Japan, Austria and Italy. The atmosphere was celebratory, and families and businessmen could enjoy an array of refreshments in between browsing the stands. Mabrook, Sudan!

Nubian Wrestling in Khartoum

Every Friday at 4pm before sunset in Souq Sita, Haj Yusef, an ancient sport originally thought up by the Nubian pharaohs is still being practiced. A display of strength, testosterone and ancient ritual, this sport is a real craft. Unlike boxing, no fists are allowed and no blood is drawn, at least intentionally; it is more comparable to a martial art.

There are different teams with their own strips, from which each wrestler, either professional or amateur will chose his challenger. After coating themselves with sand to prevent slippage, the men will perform a strange and taunting dance around each other until they lock necks. The goal is then to flip one’s opposer on their back.

A Nubian wrestling match is a fast-paced and gripping spectacle and a must-see for any visitors to Khartoum. The highlight was the moment when a tall, lean wrestler picked the biggest, stockiest bruiser of them all to fight. Our hearts were in our throats, as we watched this skinny man expertly tire out the larger wrestler, running circles around him until he was eventually defeated. Respect!

Review: Sudan’s Cultural Heritage and Museums Festival

It’s been a vibrant week at Sudan’s Cultural Heritage and Museums Festival, hosted by the British Council at Sudan’s National Museum.

An exhibition on Sudan’s national culture and heritage presented a mixture of local Sudanese art, including work by Ibrahim Salahi and Hussein Mirghani, and black and white and colour photography portraying various regions such as the historic port town of Suakin.

Highlights of the programme were the lectures by Sudanese and guest archaeologists and documentaries produced by the Goethe Institute’s Sudan Film Factory Project.

The evenings were rounded off by musical performances from Sudanese band, local reggae as well as music from South Kordofan. On closing night, British reggae band ‘The Resonators’ delivered an energetic show with their unique brand of dub reggae.

The ancient Nubian Kingdom

Nusr Eldouma @ Dabanga Art Gallery

If you’re in need of a bit of artistic inspiration this week, we’d recommend you stop by Sudanese painter and illustrator Nusr Eldouma’s exhibition which has just opened at Dabanga Gallery on Al Jezira St in Khartoum 2.

Eldouma’s work uses mixed media to celebrate the diversity of the Sudanese people. While his subjects are traditional, he captures them through an experimental use of colour and style.

Give your eyes a feast!

Kamala Ibrahim Ishaaq @ The Shibrain Art Centre

Last week we visited Sudanese artist Kamala Ibrahim Ishaaq’s exhibition at the Shibrain Art Centre, which is running until the 5^th of February.

Kamala graduated from Khartoum’s College of Fine and Applied Art, where she later became head of the painting department. In the 1970s, she took a brief detour from the Khartoum School to contribute to the Crystal movement. Her work has been exhibited across the globe, from London to Brazil.

Kamala’s work is full of emotions and feminist expressions which reflect the issues that women in Sudan face in society. She works in mixed media and muted, sombre colours.

The Shibrain Art Centre was opened in 1996 by Professor Ahmed Shibrain, a painter and former dean at Khartoum’s College of Fine and Applied Art. The gallery hosts regular exhibitions of various Sudanese designers and artists.

Open times: daily from 10am to 2pm and from 6pm to 10pm
Address: Abu Bakr El Sideeq Street, Block 16, Building 29, El Riyadh

Celebrating Sudanese Culture next week at Sudan’s National Museum!

The Full Art Centre @ Khartoum

Sudanese artists Bakri Full & Awad Siddig

We met with Bakri Full, President of the Full Art Centre, and Awad Siddig, one of the 30-man artist’s collective that runs the initiative. The 2-year-old up-and-coming centre focuses on the promotion of Sudanese art and tradition – the opening of the most recent exhibition was graced by the presence of whirling dervishes – and organises collective exhibitions and workshops. The centre has been designed and decorated by Full himself, who has painted exquisite murals around the site. Famous for his emotive sculptures, these can also be viewed here.

Bakri Full with his work

The initiative supports both young and amateur artists and also runs workshops for children. The most recent workshop was drawing and painting for disabled children, and explores the innovative concept of art as therapy. Siddig maintains that it is an exciting time for Sudanese art, and that the arts & culture scene in Khartoum has developed significantly in recent years, spurred on by the opening of RDAC. Their latest exhibition displays a good selection of work by a group of Sudanese artists.

The Blue Room

If you want to stop by, head down to the centre which is located in Burri, near Spark City.

It’s definitely worth heading to Port Sudan next week…

SIFF 2014 Opening Night

Last night we attended the opening ceremony of Sudan Independent Film Festival, held at the open-air arena in Khartoum International Community School (KICS). This was a truly inspiring event and a huge step for Sudan’s art industry, which will hopefully set the scene for further similar events in the future. Inshallah!

The MC for us English speakers was Mustafa Khogali, the man behind the scenes of many cultural initiatives in Khartoum, including In The City Magazine and Sudan Drums. Humble and modest yet clearly very ambitious, he gave a passionate speech and proved himself as a true ambassador for the arts in Sudan.

To launch the festival was Sudanese film Faisal goes West, a moving portrayal of a Sudanese immigrant family who goes to live in New York City – supposedly the land of opportunity – and the trials and tribulations they face.

The guest of honour was Sayed Fouad, a filmmaker in his own right and the president of Egypt’s more established Luxor Film Festival. We had a brief chat with him and found him a down-to-Earth and amicable man.

Egyptian singer Dina El Wedidi then graced us with her beautiful voice and upbeat songs that got the crowd up and dancing. It was a jubilant atmosphere and hopefully the rest of the week will follow suit.