Sudanese artist Yasser Ali… ‘Paintings that resist war’

Report by Hind Ramadan for Radio Dabanga

On the walls of his studio in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, hang stories told by his paintings, which were drawn with clear creativity and patience. Their colours intertwine to reflect the brush of an artist whose artistic sense is linked to the suffering of his people in Sudan. The visual artist, Yasser Ali, is one of the artists who migrated early to East Africa and made their mark globally. Despite his residence outside Sudan, his heart remains there, especially after the outbreak of the Sudan war in April 2023.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Yasser Ali says that he is participating in the “Days of War” exhibition, which brings together artists virtually and embodies the suffering of the Sudanese to the world by displaying one hundred paintings about the war every month. Artists present in Sudan and abroad are participating in it under the auspices of “Reminar Gallery,” one of the galleries that was destroyed during the war and whose owner was displaced to the Northern State.

Supporting artists in Sudan

Yasser Ali contributes his paintings to a number of exhibitions and initiatives to support “the soup kitchens and Sudanese people inside the country,” he said. He added, “Before the war, the number of visual artists residing in Nairobi did not exceed six, but after the war, their number exceeded forty Sudanese visual artists, who lost their places and tools, and this is a reality that reflects the extent of the war’s impact on artists.”

Sudanese visual artists were scattered after the war, some internally displaced and others seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. They continue their artistic activities of documentation, resistance, and support, but face challenges in stability and securing the necessary support, especially those remaining inside Sudan.