RAHIEM SHADAD
Born in 1995 in Khartoum, Rahiem Shadad (Abdelrahiem Ibrahim) is a curator and gallerist. He currently serves as the director of the Downtown Gallery and previously worked as an assistant curator for the Regional French Institute in Sudan. Since 2015, Rahiem has been actively involved in the local art scene, becoming a key figure since the opening of Downtown Gallery in 2019. Along with his team and co-founder, he has collaborated with over sixty artists and organized both commercial and curatorial exhibitions.
His latest project is a social campaign using the arts to engage with a large community of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in southern Khartoum. Rahiem's curatorial approach focuses on highlighting the parallelism between older and younger generations, emphasizing their artistic records of communal and personal experiences. He expresses these notions through exhibitions that present the works of young artists alongside those of more established artists, exploring both similarities and contrasts in his accompanying writings.
Following the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, Rahiem lost Downtown Gallery and was forced into exile. He is currently based in Nairobi, Kenya, where he continues to explore ways to engage in cultural work during and after the conflict. Since the war began, he has traveled to six countries, organizing exhibitions, talks, seminars, and advocacy programs aimed at discussing the conflict and facilitating healing for displaced individuals, particularly artists.
Downtown Gallery
Downtown Gallery in Khartoum was founded in 2019 by Rahiem Shadad and his co-founder Nicole Malmadè as a prominent space for contemporary art in Sudan. The gallery quickly established itself as a hub for both emerging and established artists, bridging generational gaps and fostering a dynamic art scene. With a focus on showcasing diverse Sudanese artistic voices, Downtown Gallery became known for its curatorial exhibitions that juxtaposed traditional and contemporary artistic expressions.
The gallery's mission extended beyond commercial art displays. It was a center for artistic discourse, hosting discussions, seminars, and advocacy programs aimed at addressing social and political issues in Sudan. Downtown Gallery was instrumental in creating spaces for Sudanese artists to reflect on their experiences, particularly against the backdrop of the country’s political instability.
A significant part of its legacy is the role it played in connecting Sudanese artists with international audiences, hosting exhibitions in collaboration with institutions abroad. For instance, the "Disturbance in the Nile" exhibition in Lisbon, curated by Rahiem, was one of the gallery's landmark projects that introduced Sudanese contemporary art to a global platform.
The outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 had a devastating effect on Downtown Gallery. Like many other cultural institutions, it was forced to close as the conflict escalated. Despite this, the gallery's influence and legacy continue to resonate, particularly through the efforts of its founder, Rahiem Shadad, who continues to promote Sudanese art from exile.
The Rest Residency
Nurturing Sudanese Creativity in the Heart of Nairobi
The Rest Residency, a groundbreaking healing program for Sudanese artists and creatives, announces its launch in Nairobi, Kenya. Spearheaded by Sudanese curator Rahiem Shadad, Director of Downtown Gallery, the residency aims to provide a space of transition and refuge for artists who have traveled away from Sudan. It is a a consultation space for artist and cultural activists who fled the war in Sudan and arrived in Kenya, 21 Sudanese artists from the fields of painting, photography, filmmaking, design, and music joined the residency program as both a family in remote and a space where their sense of responsibility towards the situation in Sudan can be expressed.
About the Rest Residency:
The Rest Residency is an innovative program focused on gathering Sudanese artists and creatives, particularly those in the visual arts, filmmaking, and music domains, offering them a unique environment for reflection and creation. The initiative is organized by a collective of curators, painters, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, digital designers, and creative directors who come together to explore the nuances of transition and displacement.
The program goes beyond traditional residency grants, engaging and hosting selected individuals for a period of 6 months and a half. During this time, artists will immerse themselves in the dynamic environment of Nairobi, producing and sharing their projects in the dedicated space called "The Rest."
The brainchild of Rahiem Shadad, the project receives support from the Goethe Institut, Ford Foundation and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), reflecting a commitment to fostering cultural exchange and artistic development in the region.
