THE CONFLUENCE - [October 2022]

Mr. Isidro Gonzáles Afonso
The Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of Sudan

It is an immense pleasure for me to be here today accompanied by all of you at the opening of this art exhibition. First of all, on behalf of the Spanish Embassy in Sudan, I would like to offer a warm welcome to all the people who have come here today to celebrate Sudanese art, as well as to congratulate all the artists that are present here today incarnating the creative avant-garde of this country. I would also like to thank Downtown Gallery and Rahiem Shadad, its curator, for their collaboration. Without it, this initiative would
be nothing but an idea.

Sudan is a diverse country, with a cultural heritage of incalculable value that these artists reflect in their work. This diversity can easily be appreciated in them, not only in their style but also in the reasons and purposes that lie behind. On behalf of the Spanish Embassy, we believe that we must embrace this diversity and encourage creativeness so that Sudanese artists of all generations always have a space where they can express themselves. For this reason, it fills us with joy to be able to host this meeting today, which we hope will serve as a precedent for future exhibitions.
I am convinced that time will reward the talent represented here today, and I will be proud to think that the Embassy of Spain was able to participate in its development. I hope you enjoy this exhibition.

Thank you very much.

Rahiem Shadad
The curator

Many cities of the world and of Sudan specifically came to be due to the confluence of people coming from various locations. Whether it’s Sinnar, El-Obeid, or Sawakin, the merging of cultures and the attainment of relevance is what made these spaces richer and thus, flourish. There’s beauty that comes when people of diversity realize that they are similar in how they love, how they despise, how they celebrate, how they mourn, how they feel, and how they record stories. The confluence is a show that came to be with the support of
the Embassy of Spain in Khartoum. It brings forth a visual form of each of these elements. It is with great pleasure as well to be able to showcase the works of Dr. Abdelrahman Shangal (m.), the previous Dean of the Faculty of Fine & Applied Arts, in Sudan University of Science and Technology. After a long period of exhibitions abroad, it brings me great excitement to present his works here in Khartoum. A style that combines his unique and exquisite sculptural work and his mastering of color aesthetics. The exhibition lineup also includes Abdelmageid Afifi (m.), another incredible figure whose works are continuously advocating for peace and moving forward. Suzan Ibrahim’s (f.) style on the other hand brings forth a combination of the African and the Arabic heritage in a story-full pallette. Yasmin Abdullah (f.), one of the fastest moving Sudanese artists
who’s illustrative and poetic style has taken her to world stages. She presents to us the vulnerability and humane aspects of people around us while drawing attention to the various public and domestic issues faced by women.
Representing the younger generation of Sudanese artists is Waleed Mohammed (m.) with his rather very mature works depicting nostalgia. His works tell us of the desire of young generations to a context full of freedom and ability to self actualize. Mohammed Abdelaziz (m.) who’s artistry in watercolors surpasses
his age. The collection exhibited are all of photographs he took personally. I hope this exhibition can bring us together by looking at our similarities and our way of feeling and our way of expression. It also is a great pleasure to present this wonderful lineup of Sudanese artists.