TewasArt Africa: What’s the inspiration behind ‘I let go and I can breathe again except that there is no air’.
Reem Aljeally: For this painting, it’s a simple narration of feelings of familiarity, defeat, or acceptance of what has brought it. The figure is in a very comfortable and well-known environment where she’s able to be her true self and allow her emotions to fully surface.
TewasArt Africa: I understand you moved to Cairo because of the war. How long have you been there? How are you coping? Any projects you are involved in Cairo?
Reem Aljeally: I have been living in Cairo since May 2023. As a frequent visitor to the city, the experience of actually living here has given me a different perspective on Cairo. I would say I am still coping, trying to understand the whats and abouts of the city, yet I feel estranged and struggling to find where I fit. Cairo is a fast-paced city compared to Khartoum, so getting into the already very well-established scene is not easy yet not impossible.
My current focus is on creating a new body of work that I develop to try and make a place for myself here. I am also exploring the scene through my work at one of the city’s most prominent art galleries, giving me the chance to get to know the artists up close.
TewasArt Africa: How has this abrupt shift impacted your studio practice and new works?
Reem Aljeally: This shift has left a huge gap in how I go about my work. Going from having my personal studio in addition to my home station to not having a place to work is the most difficult part of trying to carry on with my work. That, in addition to having to build up my entire collection of tools and mediums and rediscover everything in a new forced environment. This shift has manifested in my use of more paper instead of canvas and smaller sizes instead of what I am more comfortable with. Yet it has allowed me to discover and try new mediums that weren’t available in Sudan, such as Lino printing.
TewasArt Africa: You’ve positively impacted so many women’s artist careers in Sudan. How do you feel about it?
Reem Aljeally: I think I had so little to do with the careers of female artists. It’s at the core of my practice to support them in whichever form I can, yet I believe that their talent and dedication are the main reasons that drive all these people to the great places that they are in now. My mission lies in helping facilitate and connect, and I try to do that as best as I possibly can because I believe that those women have great talent that deserves to be out there.
TewasArt Africa: What is the future of The Muse Multi Studios like?
Reem Aljeally: The Muse was established in 2019 during a country revolution and continued to work through transitional periods and military coups, yet it had the biggest effect on the contemporary art scene in Sudan. The Muse was built on a hybrid basis that allows it to thrive through hardship, something I am very grateful for.
I believe what we are going through now will affect the organization’s future drastically, yet I am positive of our ability to adapt and overcome.
We are currently running activities in the city of Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, in collaboration with a local organization, as well as minor activities in Cairo, where I am based, where we will be participating in our first art book fair in December 2023.
TewasArt Africa: What notable exhibitions and residencies have you participated in recently?
Reem Aljeally: This year I’ve been part of an exhibition in Kampala, Uganda, curated and initiated by Tewasart Gallery, and it’s my first time showcasing in Uganda, so I think it was a very interesting experience and a new audience.
Later in July, I was also part of two exhibitions in Germany, following the war in Sudan, with artworks that I created after I departed from the country and am now residing in Egypt. The works were in some form political and personal, depicting the situation of Sudanese people stuck in the borders between Sudan and Egypt. I was also participating in an exhibition in Portugal at the downtown gallery and Broteria. It was titled Disturbance in the Nile, which held works from modern and contemporary artists from Sudan, and I believe that was very enriching to my work as well as being amongst some of the greatest artists in Sudan.
My work is also being showcased in Moscow for the first time as part of ART LIFE FEST 2023. What was very interesting about this exhibition is that it is part of a grand fair, and it has so many intersections between art and technology in a fascinating way, allowing a new depth and dimension to the paintings.