Jul 28, 20192 min read

Hussein Salim

Artist 171

Hussein Salim

Identity Art

Painting

Hussein Salim is a Sudanese artist who specializes in painting looking back at his home country after expressing life as a refugee.

As a result of a tumultuous political and economical period in Sudan Salim spent a number of years as a refugee in various countries such as Egypt and South Africa.

Despite his artistic training in Khartoum University, he attained his Master’s degree in art at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

He has exhibited extensively overseas along with acclaimed local galleries, such as Johans Borman and Bonisa Private Gallery.

It was during this time, that Salim and his family embarked on both an emotional and awakening return back to his homeland, Sudan.

Inspired by its diversity and diasporic, multicultural communal structure, his body of work aims to celebrate this through extensive layering of symbols masked by rich colours.

Following the example of graciousness, humility and resilience of the Sudanese, Hussain Salim has worked closely with NGO’s such as African Angels and Buccaneers Outreach program, whom focus on the sustenance and uplifting of children and schools in marginalized communities with proceeds of his artwork sales being donated to various outreach schemes.

He explains, “For me, art not only evokes memories and contemplation of the loss of home but it also encounters the present and shapes the future. My work is the product of a rich heritage from my origins in Sudan, my training there and my recent diasporic experience.”

In a time period filled with xenophobia and much of the world refusing and treating refugees poorly art like this is one of the many ways of showing and connecting people from across the world past news headlines which portray people as monsters. His art is filled with vibrant colors and beautiful compositions.