Karen Dabrowska on an exhibition reframing post-independence Sudanese art beyond images of war
© Bakri Bilal
Vibrant colours that radiate positivity, hope and inspiration characterise the works of Sudan’s second generation of artists. These artists rose to prominence during the 1970s and 1980s. Their art is showcased by the Almas Art Foundation in central London, which is hosting a compelling and timely exhibition titled ‘Sudan: A Visual Art Narrative – Second Generation Exhibition’. At a moment when Sudan is present in global media through images of war and devastation, this exhibition offers a powerful counter-narrative. It is one rooted in beauty, memory, cultural continuity and creative resilience.
At the exhibition’s opening in mid-January, Farah Fonkenell, CEO of the Almas Art Foundation, underlined the urgency of documenting Sudanese art history. She stressed that if Sudanese art is not written about, archived and critically engaged with, it risks being consigned to the dustbin of history. This sense of urgency permeates the exhibition, which positions itself not merely as a display of artworks but as an act of cultural preservation and resistance against erasure.
The Almas Art Foundation was established to promote artists from Africa and the diaspora, with a particular emphasis on scholarship, documentation and critical discourse. Alongside exhibitions, the foundation has made significant contributions to publishing, including Visual Arts in Sudan by Rashid Diab, Sudan Retold: An Art Book about the History and Future of Sudan by Larissa-Diana Fuhrmann, Khalid Albaih, and Suzi Mirghani, and Sudanese Kitchen by Omer El Tijani. As the foundation states on its website: “Books allow us to create a lasting record of artistic practice and cultural history — a space where critical research, visual storytelling, and curatorial insight intersect. In a world of fleeting digital content, printed and digital publications ensure that African art is represented thoughtfully, accurately, and accessibly for future generations.” This philosophy is clearly reflected in the curatorial depth and historical framing of the current exhibition.
© Abdallah Al-Tayeb
Curated by Yafil Mubarak and Dr Fathi Osman, ‘Sudan: A Visual Art Narrative’ is deeply informed by concern for Sudan’s present condition. Mubarak speaks openly about his fear that Sudan has been abandoned by the international community as it passes through one of the most challenging periods in its history. Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, the humanitarian toll has been catastrophic. By December 2025, nearly 150,000 people had been killed. Some 12.4 million people have been displaced, around 9 million of them internally, while more than 3.3 million have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. These grim statistics form a sombre backdrop to the exhibition, making its emphasis on colour, vitality and human dignity all the more striking.
For Mubarak, the exhibition’s refusal to pursue political agendas is its strength. “There is a focus on the beauty of the country away from the current horrors. This gives us hope,” he says. “Colour runs our life. Sudanese women bring colour to Sudanese life through their clothes. The men just wear white. They inspire us and give us light.” This observation resonates throughout the exhibition. Here, colour is not only aesthetic but also symbolic: a visual language of survival, joy, and continuity.
Mubarak is also the son and agent of veteran Sudanese artist Rashid Diab, whose work features prominently in the exhibition as he celebrates 50 years of artistic practice. Diab first exhibited half a century ago at London’s Africa Centre, and his inclusion creates a poignant sense of historical continuity. Much of his richly coloured work centres on traditionally clad female forms, often depicted as moving through time and space. These figures evoke memory, migration and the passage of generations, while firmly anchoring Sudanese cultural identity in the feminine presence.
Rashid Diab, author of Visual Arts in Sudanese.
Rashid Diab belongs to the second generation of Sudanese artists who forged their own paths in the wake of Sudan’s independence in 1956. That period was marked by profound political, social and cultural upheavals, all of which left a clear imprint on artistic production. The 1960s witnessed the October Popular Uprising of 1964 and the emergence of the influential ‘Forest and Desert’ literary group. Against this dynamic backdrop, the Khartoum School came to prominence, with artists such as Ibrahim El-Salahi and Shibrain gaining international recognition for their synthesis of Islamic calligraphy, African motifs and modernist abstraction.
The 1960s and 1970s were also characterised by intense intellectual debate within Sudan’s art world. Public lectures and newspaper articles fostered lively discussions around concepts such as ‘Heritage and Authenticity’, ‘Sudanism’ and later ‘Crystalism’. These debates generated a vibrant critical movement, with artists and intellectuals aligning themselves both for and against emerging trends. Yet the artists represented in this exhibition occupy a distinct position. Unlike their predecessors, the second generation did not align themselves with any single school or manifesto. Instead, they adopted an autobiographical and individualistic approach to art-making.
This generation often balanced their artistic practice with other professions, earning a livelihood through teaching, graphic design, illustration, and related fields. This multiplicity of roles is reflected in the diversity of media and techniques on display. The exhibition brings together 33 works spanning acrylic and oil on canvas, black ink on paper, watercolour, mixed media, collage on advertising paper and postcards, etching with aquatint, and calligraphy combined with colouring on canvas. The sheer range of materials underscores the experimental spirit and adaptability of these artists.
© Husseun Gamaan
Among the most visually striking works are those by illustrator and painter Hussein Gamaan, whose compositions burst with colour and narrative energy. Bakri Bilal’s works combine human figures with symbolic and calligraphic elements, layered with vibrant hues and textured surfaces that invite close inspection. Hassan Musa transforms a verse by the Sufi Arab poet Ibn al-Farid — We drank (sharibna) — into a powerful calligraphic artwork rendered in black ink on paper, where spirituality and visual rhythm converge.
Black ink also features prominently in the haunting figurative works of Abdalla Mohamed Al-Tayeb, whose images suggest introspection and existential unease. Mohamed Otaybi’s contributions explore identity, culture and the human condition through bold, proud figures that assert presence and dignity. Together, these works reveal a generation deeply engaged with questions of selfhood, heritage and belonging, yet unconfined by rigid ideological frameworks.
The selection as a whole reflects the challenging historical and social circumstances in which these artists practised, often amid instability, censorship and conflict. Yet their work consistently demonstrates resilience, innovation and a steadfast commitment to cultural expression. Rather than retreating into despair, these artists insist on colour, form and imagination as acts of affirmation.
© Mohamed Otaybi
By highlighting the long-standing contributions of Sudanese artists to modern African and global art, the Almas Art Foundation’s commitment to preserving and celebrating Sudan’s artistic legacy is both commendable and deeply inspiring. In bringing these works to a London audience, the exhibition not only restores visibility to a vital chapter of art history but also asserts, with quiet confidence, that Sudan’s cultural voice endures — luminous, complex and defiantly alive.
‘Sudan: A Visual Art Narrative – Second Generation Exhibition’ is on view at the Almas Art Foundation until March 8th. For more information, please visit Almas Art Foundation.
Born in New Zealand and based in London, Karen Dabrowska is a journalist and author of twelve books whose work has focused extensively on Middle Eastern and Islamic affairs. She has worked as a reporter for the Evening Post in New Zealand and, in the UK, as editor of New Horizon magazine and a correspondent for JANA News Agency. Dabrowska has also served as a development officer for the Sudanese National Council and as Director of Communications for Friends of South Yemen. Her publications include Iraq: The Ancient Sites, Iraqi Kurdistan, and a biography of architect Mohammed Makiya, whose work renewed modern Islamic architectural traditions.
