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

Artist Profile: Dar Al Naim

Dar Al Naim Mubarak is a Spanish-Sudanese artist who works between Europe and North Sudan. The daughter of internationally successful painter Rashid Diab, she is an artist in her own right and possesses a distinctly different personality and artistic style. So far, her work has been exhibited in London, Berlin, New York and Khartoum. We spoke about her current work, influences and her recent return to Sudan, where she has assumed role of General Director at the Rashid Diab Arts Centre.

What mediums are you using in your current work?

I’m working with mix media: mixing acrylic, chalk, ink, pens, gouache etc. The only medium I don’t use much is oil, as I find I don’t have the patience to wait for it to dry.

What do you think have been the major influences on your artwork?

There are plenty! Everything is an influence, from music to other visual artists or even film. Ibrahim El Salahi, has been a huge inspiration to me throughout the years. A lot of my stimulation also comes from nature and its never ending wonders.

What did you learn during your time at art school in England?

Art school was an adventure! I hated it for a long time as I felt like the African outcast, whose work could only be compared to other Africans or ‘ethnic’ people of colour. I learned to tolerate different types of art, artists and thought processes, which are all of equal importance when building a personal critic for art.

Why did you decide to come back to Sudan?

Sudan is where my heart is, where I grew up and where I think my skills can actually help! After being away for 7 years, I feel I needed to reconnect. With the country’s many challenges and difficulties, Sudan will help me cultivate a more diverse aesthetic for my work.

You have recently taken on the post of Managing Director at the Rashid Diab Arts Centre. What are your hopes for this project?

The Rashid Diab Arts Centre is a diamond in the rough! It is an incredible place that has been running for almost 8 years now. My aim is to expose this jewel and create artistic relationships between Sudan and the rest of the world.

As Rashid Diab’s daughter, is it ever difficult to distinguish your individuality as an artist?

I do feel like I am under my father’s shadow, but this is a cultural thing mainly; in Sudan you are who your father is. I need to give people time and the chance to see how different I am. I also want to remind people that my mother is also an artist! So I haven’t just based my knowledge on art from my father; in fact it was my mother who taught me how to shade in, understand light, sculpt with clay, etc. I took tips from both and created a new style that I can call my own.

www.daralnaimart.com

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