Shafei, Sudan

“I was born in Sennar, a town on the Blue Nile in Sudan, and grew up during the civil war between the North and South. There are 700 ethnic groups that speak 115 languages in my country. Tribal conflicts contributed to the civil war and divided Sudan into two countries. Sometimes people reference that the causes of this conflict were tribalism and religion, but it is also rooted in politics.
I am an artist whose work is noted for its political engagement with different world cultures and who tries to create solidarity among communities and peoples across political, cultural, and racial differences. My art is a voice for those people who cannot speak, a voice that tells of a people’s suffering, a voice that speaks of people caught between borders and conflict. A voice that says we are one people who are more alike than different. Being a survivor reminds me of an experience but also a journey. After the journey, life continues but the experience stays there. In 2001, I left my homeland because of the civil war. I did not belong to any political group, but my work began to take the form of activism and show what was happening around me. My academic work, as well as my art with cultural tribes, was not appreciated. I was threatened and mistreated, and I had to leave Sudan.
The projected picture is of an installation and performance piece called ‘Unshackled Memory’, memorializing those African people sold in the transatlantic slave trade who did not survive the journey from the west coast of Africa to the Americas. The installation is comprised of 2,000 paper boats painted in colours representing the vibrant hues of traditional African dress, as well as the multitude of flags from African nations.”