Artist Sannad Sharif mysteriously covered his face as he held his favorite artwork “Sun of the Cartoon. “ Source: Sannad Sharif

"I am not well. I could have built the Pyramids with the effort it takes me to cling on to life and reason."

- Franz Kafka, Letters to Felice

If I had to summarize my feelings after the emotional roller coaster experience of visiting the first solo exhibition of a young artist called Sannad, nothing would fit better than this quote. It was such an amusing slide into the artist's imagination and mental well-being growth journey.

Going through my diary, I found this journal, then asked myself quickly. What could possibly happen to a pensively shy introverted artist with limitless potential, under the challenging conditions of war? A question that energized my curiosity to conduct a virtual interview with Sannad.

Sannad Sharif, a Sudanese avant-garde artist with boundless possibilities, has the courage and resilience it takes to keep producing art under the brutal conditions of war. With remarkable visual ability to convey complex emotions, tell stories, and communicate, his paintings effortlessly point out the traditional principles of fine art.

How can assembled fabrics, sewing and embroidery incorporate traditional and decorative processes, posing as contemporary topics? Blending these elements as compositional devices, Sannad's artwork goes beyond execution aesthetics, with greater authenticity and using different mediums that incorporate unconventional materials and innovative approaches to challenge the viewer's perception.

His last staggering performance serves as a compelling example, by featuring him holding one of his artworks and running away under gunfire, effectively communicating the paradoxical nature of war and its far-reaching consequences for the artist.

Trapped in years of hard work reduced to ashes

The artist's artworks gained growing popularity over social media and became a powerful tool to shed light on untold stories, amplifying the voices of those affected and conveying the complexities of war horrors. In this interview, I dive deeper into the life of this artist.

Andariya: Can you tell me about your plans and projects prior to the war? What were you working on as an artist before the war?

Sannad: I was intending to draw a new artwork by the Nile on the night of April 19. This used to be the way I liked to celebrate my birthday for years, just right next to the banks of "Tuti Beach". However, it seems like corrupted leaders have decided something else. I was trapped in Kafori neighborhood, where my house was located, for many days under heavy bombardment and gunfire. The conditions were extremely dangerous outside. One month later, RSF looted my house and kicked my family and I out. I couldn’t take anything except my passport. I remember finishing three artworks during this period. One of them, "Sun of Cartoon _ ود الكرتون ," was the closest to my heart, as he was always by my side in my room. I left everything there, all my clothes, my artworks, and above all, my memories.

The last 3 artworks were created by the artist while he was trapped in Khartoum. Source: Sannad Sharif

Andariya: Can you describe some of the daily struggles, suffering, or difficulties you faced during this ongoing war?

Sannad: The continuous state of thinking about my artworks and what could possibly happen to them- I always treated them as my children. However, the biggest challenge for me used to be the daily challenge of trying to access food. I have always had a phobia of unhealthy, greasy foods full of sugar, fat, and gluten. So, I had to travel long distances each day just to find something suitable and quite healthy. In my case as a displaced person in a new place, this means skipping so many meals and depending on coffee only in most cases.

The paintings the artist left in his house as he fled the Sudan war. Source: Sannad Sharif 

Andariya: How did you navigate those difficulties to continue creating art in such tough conditions? And what was your motivation to keep producing art?

Sannad: I wake up with sun rays on my face every day, my notebook right next to my bed, and my usual morning coffee. That is when I start sketching, painting, constructing installations, or whatever. I can give up food; I can starve for nights; but I can’t stop painting.

The artist journals to relieve stress, believing art has to face struggles. Source: Sannad Sharif  

Installation. Source: Sannad Sharif  

Andariya: What do you ask for right now? What are your dreams, hopes, and future plans?

Sannad: I hope nothing but for this bad nightmare be gone and our souls to be free soon.

Andariya: If I gave you a pen and told you to write a letter for yourself now that you'd be able to read 5 years from now, what would it be?

Sannad: Run out of the city kid. Run before reaching thirty-three.

Conclusion

We are currently in a world where art is increasingly being produced for an international art market, rather than as a form of expression or communication, and students are being trained to produce art that can sell, rather than art that is focused on social or political issues.

The current and most recent Sudan conflicts have paved the way for Sudanese artists to use art as a kind of escapism. It has become a safe space to explore difficult emotions and navigate the most painful realities. To others, it is a way to connect with others who are going through similar things.

The act of producing art in this case is valued for its own sake, without considering its monetary relevance. In other words, you can witness the growing sense of "detachment" from the global line driven by financial or commercial aspects where artists and art viewers are less interested in engaging with the conditions that foster the artworks and more focused on art as an end in itself.

For artist Sannad, he deeply knew that these paintings and illustrations were not necessarily going to be displayed at any galleries or art fairs. He however keeps producing art despite conflict, as a healing mechanism.