SILMIYA:
A SUDANESE REVOLUTION OF COLOR
EXHIBITION IN THE PRESS GALLERY BY HUDA HASHIM
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Huda Hashim is a British-born Sudanese American 3D Architect and Painter living in Oklahoma City. She received her BA and MA in 3D Visualization with a minor in Visual Arts at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Her passion for African storytelling is the driving force behind her designs. She describes herself as an African brush-teller, like story teller, but with a brush aiming to bridge gaps and cross social, cultural and all other borders with her contemporary work by combining styles of the west with traditional Sudanese/African themes. Navigating her ethnic, linguistic, and tribal heritages in Sudan is complex but she chooses to celebrate its diversity. I accept a common culture while enriching a nation with diverse art. It is about the realities of what makes for an attractive and meaningful environment or experience.
The sudanese revolution was made possible by a generation that uses hope to overcome fear to shape our future. My paintings represent a visual language with which I aimed to communicate a message of peace, unity and awareness in colour.
ABOUT THE REVOLUTION
On 11 April 2019, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown by a popular revolution ending almost three decades in power. After millions of protesters encircled the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum, ten generals stepped in to remove their former boss, establishing a Transitional Military Council, ostensibly to pave the way for civilian rule. The young protesters had braved tear gas, truncheons and bullets throughout the country; they were following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, who had toppled unpopular military leaders in 1964 and 1985. In deposing Bashir, the protesters had achieved what rebel groups, foreign pressure and even indictments for genocide from the International Criminal Court had not managed. In September 2019: A new government takes office under Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok as part of a three-year power-sharing agreement between the military, civilian representatives and protest groups.
Women have historically been on the forefront of the revolutions. They made up almost 70% of the protestors. Sudanese living abroad also played an active role creating awareness through social media and news outlets. Artists around the world came together in expressing the emotions and events through art and poetry. The worldwide attention was weak however the iconic image of Alaa Saleh standing on top of a car chanting and being surrounded by women caught the international eye. I saw myself in her, I saw her power and love for her country. I was wishing a million times that I could be on the front lines with all the women, so I began to paint the iconic images using abstract expressionism to communicate every emotion I felt as part of the diaspora.
There is a new sense of pride in being Sudanese and how the nation had shown themselves and the world what their country could become.