Arts.. Lights at Times of War

Sudan Events – Magda Hassan

The lights of theaters and forums have been extinguished in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, since mid-April, with the outbreak of war and the dispersion of artists in various areas, inside and outside their country. Despite these circumstances, they cling to their artistic tools to paint a more beautiful reality, alleviate people’s suffering, and put a smile on faces.

The curse of war

The war that our country is currently witnessing is different from other internal wars that Sudan had been witnessed since the dawn of independence. The latest war, which has become a threat to the existence of the Sudanese entity, broke out from the capital, the country’s economic, political, cultural and administrative center, before expanding into the regions. On its way to turning into an all-inclusive war.
Therefore, the paralysis that struck the beating heart of the country, as a result of that senseless war, was reflected in all aspects of life and its various activities, including the arts of all kinds.

Displacement and death:

The artists were doomed to be displaced, emigrate, and live in shelters, just as other residents of the capital and other areas, those most affected by war, the long-lived ones, who escaped the danger of free death, were doomed to suffer, once again, the pain of displacement and homelessness, in search of safety, away from their homes, which were, in the past, a place of safety and tranquility among the artists are those who martyred due to a shrapnel or a stray bullet, such as: actress Asia Abdel Majid Umm Ihab, singer Shaden Mohammad Hussein, and composer Hamdan Azraq, some are waiting.

Unemployment:

Artists, who dedicated themselves to the message of art in love and peace, especially those who professionalized art and took it as a profession and a way to make a decent living, suddenly found themselves unemployed and without work or a source of income, and the winds of forced displacement pushed them to foreign countries, to foreign, deprived shelter centers. Humanity has become their concern and the first concern is to earn a living.

Director Abu Bakr Al-Sheikh mentioned in an interview with Sudan Events that war made him pursue a career in agriculture, and he moved in several professions over the past months before settling as a program presenter in a TV channel in Cairo.

Hope:

Since the beginning of the war, the city of Madani in the Gazira state has been witnessing a large displacement movement and theatrical activity, through solidarity with the displaced people coming from Khartoum, by entertaining them and alleviating their suffering. The playwright Kojak was honored and several performances of the show (Barricades) directed by Rabin Youssef.

Opening Cinema:

Since the reopening of the Kosti Cinema about a month ago, Kosti intellectuals have been working hard to normalize cultural life and resist the war with cultural action. Atbara city also receives artistic activity, where artists arriving from Khartoum conduct rehearsals, as the artist Saif Al-Jamaa said, a significant artistic activity can able to accommodate all artists.

Art activity in Cairo:

Many creative people who took refuge in Egypt participated in artistic activities. The musician Dr. said: Anas Al-Aqib, who lives in Cairo, told Sudan Events that artistic activity in Cairo, despite its abundance, is limited among Sudanese only.
Kosti intellectuals strive to normalize cultural life and resist war through culture. The city of Atbara also receives artistic activity, where artists arriving from Khartoum conduct rehearsals, as the artist Saif Al-Jamaa said, and that it has significant artistic activity that was able to accommodate them.

Art for peace:

The war has revealed its ugly face that is hostile to all that is beautiful. The monuments of science, knowledge and culture and their symbols were at the forefront of being targeted for looting, vandalism and destruction. It is a harsh experience that everyone lived through, artists and non-artists. It worked to unite them around one hope, which is to see peace in the country, and the displaced and refugees have returned to their homes, with the return of art in its full force and glory, and Sudan returning to its former path, a home of goodness, love and harmony.