Ahmed Umar (artist)

Ahmed Umar (Arabic: أحمد عمر, born 10 February 1988) is a Sudanese-Norwegian visual artist and LGBT activist who campaigns for gay visibility. He[upper-alpha 1] grew up in a conservative family in Sudan, before fleeing to Norway where Umar's artistic work mixes Sudanese (e.g., the Black Pharaohs of the ancient Kingdom of Kush) and western influences by blending stories as a foundation for the works. His experience of coming out as one of the first openly gay Sudanese was detailed in the film The Art of Sin.

This article is about Sudanese-Norwegian visual artist and LGBT activist (born 1988). For other person named Ahmed Omer, see Ahmed Omer.
Ahmed Umar
أحمد عمر
Ahmed Umar during an interview in 2021
Born
Ahmed Siddig Umar

(1988-02-10) 10 February 1988
Citizenship
Notable workThe Art of Sin
This Arab Is Queer
Carrying the face of ugliness
The Nile Pride 2030
Websitewww.ahmedumar.com

Life and career

Early life

Ahmed Umar was born in Sudan to Siddig and Zeinab,[1] on the 10th of February 1988,[3][4][5] into a traditional Sufi family that lived between Mecca and Sudan.[2][6] He is the youngest of five siblings.[1] His father passed away in 2009.[1]

Umar received his education in Mecca. When it came to his sexuality, he stated: "I have been falling in love with other boys for as long as I can remember, even while I was living in Mecca", including his peers and teacher, Amin.[1] Umar told the story of Adel, who he met in intermediate school and they became friends. Adel was popular and defended himself against bullies. The writer was often teased for not fitting stereotypes of being Sudanese. He joined the school radio to spend time together and became very close. One day, Adel kissed the writer and they kissed a few more times before choosing brotherhood over love.[1]

According to Umar, he went on to study in Sudan and eventually fell in love with a woman named Israa. Umar and Israa were in a “halal relationship” and planned to establish a home together. He went on a field study trip to the southern of Sudan, where Umar ended up sharing a mattress with his friend Ashraf on the roof of the bus. They ended up kissing each other, and although they agreed it was wrong, they continued being intimate for another year and a half before Umar left for Norway.[1]

Moving to Norway

Umar arrived to Norway in 2008 as a political refugee from Sudan, which at the time was one of seven nations that executed people for same-sex conduct.[7] Umar obtained a bachelor’s degree in Printmaking 2014 from Oslo National Academy of the Arts, followed by a master’s degree in Fine Art.[8]

Umar lives and works in Oslo, and became a renowned artist known for mixing Sudanese (e.g., the Black Pharaohs of the ancient Kingdom of Kush) and western influences by blending stories as a foundation for the works.[9][10] Umar art involves live performances and work with ceramics,[11] jewellery,[12] and prints.[9] Umar's work has been exhibited at different national and international institutes.[13]

Art and LGBT activism

In 2015, Umar came out on Facebook as one of the first openly gay men from Sudan, causing a large portion of the Sudanese community to turn against him, including relatives.[2][14] Umar experience of coming out as one of the first openly gay Sudanese was detailed in the film The Art of Sin. Umar described the experience before coming out in an interview by My.Kali as:

I believed that I was cursed and that Allah would punish me with eternal unhappiness, HIV and die like Freddie Mercury, and that I will bring shame to my family. I wanted so badly to die. I was so lonely.[2]

Umar uses personal experiences to discuss queer lives in Sudan and internationally.[2] Umar shared his story writing Pilgrimage of Love chapter in This Arab Is Queer (2022), an anthology written by Arab LGBTQ+ writers.[1] In an interview, with the Sudanese magazine 500 Words Magazine, about Art and identify where Umar reiterated his believe that ‘there were entirely homosexual groups of men living in the Kingdom of Kush’ [15] which challenges the deep rooted believe that homophobia is entrenched in the Sudanese society.[16]

Islam in Umar's Work

Although Umar is an atheist,[17] but having grown up in a conservative Islamic environment; Islam and arabic culture plays a role in Umar identity and art .[2] Many of Umar sculptures were inspired by Quran, verse like 'Would any of you like to eat a dead brothers flesh?,' (Arabic: أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ), from Quran Chapter 49 verse 12, became the name of one of his work, and What Lasts! (Arabic: ماذا تبقا) which describes the story of Lot who was sent to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as a prophet.[18] UMAR 2016 sculpture titled 'Purification set' shows the tools used for Wudu.[18]

Umar's Jewelry work Hijab (Arabic: حجاب) navigate the strong link between religion amulets and superstition[19] using Sufism tradition and strung together a 365 amulet, one for every day of the year, to protect the wearer from harm and bring luck.[20] Many of Umar's drawings has arabic words and scribbles.[21]

Sudan in Umar's Work

Umar's work embrace Sudanese culture, e.g., If you no longer have a family, make your own with clay (Arabic: الماعنده أهل, يعمل أهل من طين), [22] a Sudanese proverb, which deals with Umar's family, epically his father, disowning him after coming out.[23] In 2018, Umar became a naturalised Norwegian citizen, and attended the citizenship ceremony wearing an outfit that mixes Sudanese and Norwegian cultures, i.e., Identity-Embroidered.[9][6]

Carrying the face of ugliness

Umar popularity grew as the face of Sudanese LGBT community but animosity toward him is also growing. Sudanese saying “carrying the face of ugliness” (Arabic: شايل وش القباحة), is typically used for someone which describes a person who does something unfamiliar, confronts an issue and takes the blame for it. In this case, being gay.[24] Umar completed the photo-shotting for this project in Sudan during filming The Art of Sin (Arabic: فن الخطيئة) with Umar taking photographs with other Sudanese LGBT, but with Umar’s face obscuring theirs.[25][26][27] Pictures from the project were made into graffities in Oct. 2022, by Kulturbyrået Mesén, at of Oslo main station, airport station and Ski station.[28][29]

Sudanese Revolution

Umar eternal quest in exploring his own identity and context was further manifested while supporting the Sudanese Revolution through sculpture Thawr, Thawra (Arabic: ثورة, ثورة).[30] In June 2019, Umar joined NYC Pride March wearing Sudanese-inspired outfit.[31] In 2020, during the Agenda arts and crafts event organised by Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Umar discussed and showed case his arts that deals with the relationship between art and democracy in the context of Sudan and its 30 years dictatorship.[32] In 2021, In God's hand photo project showed the revolutionary women of Sudan, The Kandakas.[33][34] The Sudanese Revolution carried hope for Umar to “live freely in a democratic nation where everyone is valued equally”. [35]

The Nile Pride 2030
The Nile Pride 2030 عِزّة النيل event poster.[36]

Umar convinced that there will be a parade in Sudan before he dies.[22] Pride for Umar is akin to Christmas or Eid, and that is why Umar actively promote The Nile Pride (Arabic: عِزّة النيل) 2030, the pride festival that is planned to take place in Khartoum, Sudan in 2030.[36]

Work and exhibitions

Selected work

2023 Glowing Phalanges: Prayer Beads 99, (planned) Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo.[2][37]

2022 Solace in Clay, International Academy of Ceramics, UN, Geneva.[38]

2021 In God's hand, Ha Gamle Prestegard, Oslo.[33]

2020 The Art of Sin (Arabic: فن الخطيئة) a documentary film.[6][39]

2019 If you no longer have a family, make your own with clay (Arabic: الماعنده أهل, يعمل أهل من طين), Last Frontier art space, NYC, USA.[9]

2017 Kunsten a være syndig, short documentary film.[40]

Selected public collections
Sculpture Thawr, Thawra (Arabic: ثورة, ثورة) at the Norwegian National Museum, Oslo[30]

2021 What Lasts! (Arabic: ماذا تبقا، Sarcophagus), Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium.[11][41]

2020 Forbidden Prayer: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (An installation for the embassy of Norway in Khartoum, Sudan).[42]

2019 Thawr, Thawra (Arabic: ثورة, ثورة), The Norwegian National Museum, Oslo.[30]

2019 Hijab to Hannah (Arabic: من الحجاب للحنة), National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim.[12]

2017 Hijab (Annual Protection, Arabic: حجاب), Oslo Municipality Art Collection.[43]

Awards and honours

2021
  • KunstnerLiv documentary show, NRK.[44]
  • Nominee for Sandefjord Kunstforening Art Award.[45]

2018
  • Young and newly established artist's work grant, Arts Council Norway.[46]
  • Atelier Kunstnerforbundet Studio residency.[47]
  • NOoSPHERE Artist Residency Award, New York City.[48]
  • Scheibler Foundation Art and Craft Award.[49]

2017 Debutante Award, Kunsthånverk, Norske kunst og hånverkers Årsutstilling, National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim.[50]

2016 The Art Student Grant from BKH, The Norwegian Relief Fund for Visual Artists.[51]

See also

Notes
  1. Umar uses "he/him," "she/her,"[1] and "they/them"[2] pronouns. This article uses he/him pronouns for editorial consistency.

References
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