diff --git a/content/article/shattainterview.md b/content/article/shattainterview.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e3e8f24 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/article/shattainterview.md @@ -0,0 +1,679 @@ +--- +title: "A Conversation with Khalid Shatta" +authors: ["boozer.md", "shatta.md"] +abstract: Anna Boozer interviewed visual artist Khalid Shatta about his artwork and its relationship to homelife over Zoom on August 22nd 2024. The following interview offers a transcript of that conversation, while smoothing over side comments and transitions. +keywords: ["Nubia", "displacement", "House", "Gender", "Architecture"] +--- + + + +**Boozer:** Can you tell us about your background and how it inspires +you? + +**Shatta:** My name is Khalid Mohamed Hammad Elkhatteem. My nickname is +Khalid Shatta. Two years ago, my older brother told me that our great +grandfather was named Shatta also. I am Sudanese. I come from the Nuba +Mountains in Kordofan, which is in the southern part of Sudan now. I was +born in the Nuba Mountains but my family moved to Khartoum because of +the war during that time and I grew up in Khartoum. + +I think my family can say also that they are a collapse of the history +of the war in Sudan. I grew up in Sudan. I can feel the way I grew up in +Khartoum. I now try to understand how my family, they were trying to +settle down to the new place in their home. We weren't used to it. Sudan +is a very diverse country -- its languages, its culture. + +I grew up in Shag-al-Nil in Khartoum. In my area most of the people +migrated from South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, or Darfur and most of those +people are the people who moved because of the war or the dictator +regime or the basic needs. So, I grew up with a lot of challenges of the +basic needs of the family and also the basic needs of me to continue my +school journey. It was always ups and downs. + +I started art -- I don't really know when did I start. Ever since I knew +myself, I was drawing or painting. Art for me is not only a talent or +hobby but also art is a kind of sacred space for me to escape and +express myself. It's a silent language that I do understand myself. + +I really like to travel and because of the situation of my family and of +Sudan. My father, he passed away a long time ago and it was very hard +during that time. We suffered a lot and I turned out to live in the +streets for many years. What inspires me is people and places and +migration itself is an inspiration. Because now in a way I feel at home +wherever I go. I start having that concept of "I'm from here. I'm a +human being. I'm a special creature in this universe. Why I should +locate myself and say 'I belong to this place'?" + +I've been in Norway now for thirteen years in two places. And even in my +country, I never stayed with my family for five years. So, the concept +of family brings many questions for me. Once you have the right to stay +in one place and the freedom to move that is home. Where you stay, find +solace here, and how you can struggle to find a place to stay. But my +soul is here in Norway now. But I am also very happy to have that +concept that I also belong to another people, another country. + +**Boozer:** Multiple belongings. + +**Shatta:** Yes. And that shows also how it's a human journey. Some +people are arriving and some people are falling so it leaves me to +understand that all we have is civilization and history because we're +all connected. And in a way to also be indigenous and native -- everyone +is native if you believe we came from one human family. We are the +result of all this evolution. It doesn't matter where we are located. +But also, I think I like history and culture, art, everything. But in a +way I'm also observing. + +**Boozer:** It sounds like you carefully observe all of the people and +places around you for inspiration. Is that right? + +**Shatta:** Yes. Also, yes sometimes is sad because the human history is +built with blood and it is a very painful journey to reach wherever we +are. But, also its full of change and challenge because sometimes you +have a question, such as "what is an American"? + +**Boozer:** There's no simple answer to that. + +**Shatta:** Yeah! And also, in Sudan even in our ancient history there +is a lot of sacrifice for the gods, there is also violence. It's painful +but in a way, it is also interesting how we change and accept. + +**Boozer**: All of the growing pains that we go through. + +**Shatta:** Yeah. And the beauty too. In Sudan I went to the Nuba +Mountains, I was very scared when I was there because there was war. I +was scared to just walk into the forest. It's just war. But when I came +to Norway, I became more connected to the nature. Because when you are +scared you can't enjoy the beauty around you. + +**Boozer:** You can't relax and observe. + +**Shatta:** I think places play a huge role in my artistic inspiration, +so I like to travel. + +**Boozer:** It sounds like places, people, and deep histories inspire +much of your work. + +**Shatta:** Yes, and also me and my journey of life. + +**Boozer:** Do you have any rituals or routines that help you with your +creative process? + +**Shatta:** Actually, no, I have no routine. I just love to paint. I +don't know how to express that. I don't have rituals. Sometimes my +paintings inspire me. Sometimes just lying on my bed and looking at this +painting seeing the canvas, the color, knowing I painted it, thinking +"wow, this is nice!" And I feel good about that. Just to put my thoughts +on canvas and create those kinds of shadows. Sometimes I don't +understand it, but I like to not understand it. I like it that it +creates a curiosity. Sometimes I can't explain my art, but, also, I feel +it in my bones, I feel it in my soul. I can feel the power in it. I left +my country because of my art. The government forced me to leave. I came +to Europe because of my art. I won an international competition. I am +here because of my art. I believe in that. Art can bring me to travel +and also it can save me. I do believe in this power of art. I can see +that power. Sometimes it is spiritual. It's something I don't understand +also. But it is something that is very powerful. It is the essence of +many things. + +**Boozer:** You spoke earlier about how art was your silent language and +that it is a necessary form of communication for you. Although I am not +an artist, it made sense to me how important it is to get something out +of yourself. That art can feel true even if you don't understand it. + +**Shatta:** Yeah. It is beautiful. + +**Boozer:** How do you stay motivated to create? + +**Shatta:** You know understanding also motivates me. Just to try to +understand is motivating. Because understanding goes both ways. At the +end of the day, it is understanding. If it is pain, you understand why +it is pain. If it is happiness, you understand why it is happiness. So, +for me, understanding itself motivates me. + +**Boozer:** So, understanding your feelings motivates you. + +**Shatta:** Yes, understanding what I'm passing through. For example, +we're passing through hard times. For me as a Sudanese even though I +live in Norway I can see my people are just dying. There are so many +people dying. But I need to understand the process of why we're having +war. Also, it makes me more calm to accept the understanding rather than +supporting the war. It's a really nice way of motivation. + +**Boozer:** You're accomplished at painting, drawing, and photography. +What draws you to one medium over another? What differences do you find +in your art when you change medium? + +**Shatta:** In my family I don't have a picture of me as a child. I had +one picture when I think I was about five years or something, but I lost +it. + +**Boozer:** Oh no! + +**Shatta:** Yeah! I didn't find it and my family didn't find it, the +picture. But after that also I travelled a lot in Sudan. I moved to stay +in different places. The first time I held a camera was with an +organization for displaced children. They gave us a camera just to take +a picture. I was happy! I felt I had a new eye to see things. And after +that I just kept going, taking pictures. I even took photographic design +at art school in Sudan. I like to take pictures but I find a different +enjoyment in painting and drawing because I feel like it's all me. It's +connected with my soul and my thoughts. And I feel like this is the +knowledge I want to dive into more than taking pictures. But I can take +pictures too. And from that time until now, I'm just painting, and I can +see which level I am now. So now I'm thinking to take pictures because I +feel like, wow. Because starting in 2009 I was a good photographer in +Sudan and I made a lot of money from that, but it makes me very busy +digitally. Now I'm more connected with my soul and my heart and my +hands. I love that. And also, it gives me more perspective to create to +make photographs. But also, because there are a billion great +photographs. Photographs are very important, especially in the twentieth +century, all of the history that changed the world through the +photographs. Even the archive I'm working with in Berlin, because this +is the one who did propaganda for Hitler, we see it's all about +photographs. And even Mussolini it's about photographs. The +assassination of Kennedy, it\'s about photographs. + +**Boozer:** The photographs are moving in a very specific way. + +**Shatta:** Yes. You know Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, it's the +pictures. And it's important in that sense. But to paint or to draw is +more meaningful. It connects me more. I feel it's me, me. Because we are +humans, we want that. We like to take the credit. Because this +photograph is the work of the camera. This painting is me. + +**Boozer:** You feel more connected to the paintings. + +**Shatta:** Yes. Maybe I don't understand why. Maybe I don't have the +right approach. I think this picture is the work of the camera. This +painting is the work of me. But maybe I don't understand. Maybe don't +have the right answer for now. + +**Boozer:** Or your feelings may change over time. + +**Shatta:** Yes. + +**Boozer:** We talked before this interview about a photograph that you +took and I'd like to talk about it more now. Or we could talk about +another piece that reminds you of homelife or disconnection that has a +story behind it. + + +![“The Unknown Hope (1)”, Shatta’s hometown in El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan. (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig1.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (1)”, Shatta’s hometown in El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan. (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 1. “The Unknown Hope (1)”, Shatta’s hometown in El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan. (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Boozer:** This one in the Nuba mountains with the white jalabiya +(figure 1). This is where my mom and dad were born. And I don't know how +to put it in English. You can feel the connection of home. The meaning +is always very deep. The forest is home. The trees are a soul. And they +are building what we call *rakooba* in Arabic. + +**Boozer:** A thatch hut? + +**Shatta:** Yes. And I really love it. The way of the motion and the +connection. And even in my painting series, *The Migration of the Soul*, +humans migrate from nature. When we migrated from nature, we became very +harsh with each other. Because we don't have the language of the +surroundings. We don't have the understanding. And I think that many +village people are more connected with nature and they know how to +define themselves with basic things. But in a way, they have a real +connection with their land with nature. And I felt that in this picture. + +**Boozer:** Yes, you can see it in the way his arms cross. + +**Shatta:** Yes. + +**Boozer:** The connection is happening between him and the land. + +**Shatta:** Yes, the connection. You feel like you really belong to this +earth. + +**Boozer:** Yes, it's beautiful. I see that connection. This one (figure +2). This is the one we were talking about before, right? + + +![“The Unknown Hope (2)”, Damazin Market, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig2.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (2)”, Damazin Market, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 2. “The Unknown Hope (2)”, Damazin Market, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yes, this is the one. And on the boy's t-shirt it says "the +eagle human eye". You see it? + +**Boozer:** Yes. + +**Shatta:** And if you think about it, I took this photograph in 2011. +Now some of them may have three or five kids. You know how it is in my +culture. And think about how in this kind of situation they are the ones +who are killing. They are the ones who are stealing. They are the ones +who are in the war. They are everything. And even me. If I am there, I +am going to do the same thing. Because this is where I was born, this is +how I was raised. This is what is normal. Because in Norway the police +have no guns when patrolling. Just imagine if you grow up in a place +where you have gangs everywhere. + +And also, it explains the trap of the history of Sudan. You know, +because we are in war for more than sixty or seventy years, and even +before that we have the British and the Egyptians, and the Turkish. In +Sudan we never had a rest just to settle. The culture of war is very +deep. The culture of war is also mixed with slavery and I think this is +still what is ruling Sudan. It doesn't matter what place in Sudan you +are located. Because especially this war reflects what Sudan is. It is +very fragile. There is no basis of identity. It is a mix of races. It is +a mix of people struggling. It is a mix of many things. But all these +things are missing one thing. We don't have institutions to hold what we +need, what we want to be as Sudanese. And I think this is one of the +things. And even the system of the army that we have is a system from +when the British colonized. And even the problem of South Sudan. They +divided it because of the lack of opportunity for education because of +the many lacks. And now South Sudan is divided too. And at that time, +they said it was Christianity that was the issue, but now what about +Khartoum? + +In a way you feel there is a country, there is a land full of minerals, +full of resources, but there is no-one who belongs to it really. You can +question yourself why are we like that. Even in Europe you can find a +church that is four hundred years old or six hundred or more than that. +They have this knowledge, these buildings. You don't feel that different +from six hundred years ago. And some of those buildings are better than +now. And that shows how we are very far even in the history because +Meroitic, Kemetic, or Kushitic civilization you can be proud of that. +But maybe we don't even belong to those people. It shows the dilemma of +education, academic, of things. Because we need to accept that first. We +need to see where history leaves us. We need to see that more. Maybe +this picture for me holds those ideas. Because people think the problem +is just from the former regime. No. It is deeper. It is more than that. + +**Boozer:** There are deep roots to it and the tree keeps growing, +supported by those roots. + + +![“The Unknown Hope (3)”, International Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Khartoum (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig3.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (3)”, International Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Khartoum (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 3. “The Unknown Hope (3)”, International Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Khartoum (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yes. Because even the people who are in charge now in Sudan. +They are Sudanese from our families. They came from the same +communities. So, why do we ignore that? Ah, so this picture (figure 3), +I took it in Omdurman. At that time, we were moving the South Sudanese +and people from the Nuba Mountains. This is before the dividing of South +Sudan. So, just imagine now what is happening in Sudan. People migrate. +So, this is my city. + +**Boozer:** I love this one (figure 4). + + +![“The Unknown Hope (4)” in the El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig4.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (4)” in the El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 4. “The Unknown Hope (4)” in the El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yeah, this is really nice, you know? This guy, he's adopted. +Maybe he's a soldier now. Our neighbor was the first woman where I lived +to adopt. It was for me -- wow -- you know? Because we were living in a +poor city, in a ghetto, so for me -- wow -- that was really nice. It was +inspiring to me. And now maybe he's in high school or something. + +**Boozer:** It's been thirteen years now. That's a long time in a +child's life. + +**Shatta:** Yeah. I just loved his expression. + +**Boozer:** Yes, his face is so sweet. + +**Shatta:** Yes. This is the Fulani, the Fulani people (figure 5). + + +![“The Unknown Hope (5)”, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig5.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (5)”, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 5. “The Unknown Hope (5)”, Blue Nile, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Boozer:** Tell us about the Fulani. + +**Shatta:** The Fulani, or Housa, are people who are located in many +countries in Africa. The huge Fulani community is in Nigeria. But you +find them in Sudan, in Senegal, in Chad, in Mali. Not like the Dogons. +But the Fulani are linked even with the Tuwari, Tugu, and have other +kinds of links. They really love cows like the Nuer in South Sudan. In +Sudan we know them as *Omboro*. They are very spiritual. They are Muslim +but also other things. In the Nuba Mountains we call in *kujur*, like +voodoo, but those people also have these kinds of rituals with their +cows. + +**Boozer:** So, they have other traditions and spiritualism entangled +with Islam. + +**Shatta:** Yes, it is mixed because they are Muslim. Yes, all over +Africa and even in Sudan where most of us are Muslim we have our roots +in other traditions. This one is in el Kargal my hometown (figure 6). +This is also Fulani. + + +![“The Unknown Hope (6)”, Shatta’s hometown, El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig6.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (6)”, Shatta’s hometown, El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 6. “The Unknown Hope (6)”, Shatta’s hometown, El-Korgal, Nuba Mountains, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Boozer:** Awe, so cute! + +**KS:** Yes. + +**Boozer:** This is a beautiful one (figure 7). + + +![“The Unknown Hope (7)”, El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig7.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (7)”, El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 7. “The Unknown Hope (7)”, El-Haj Yousif Neighborhood, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Shatta:** This is my niece. + +**Boozer:** She's so beautiful. Her face and the light you capture on it +is just amazing. + +**Shatta:** It's really beautiful. This picture, I took it in a kitchen, +but I took it I think with candles for light and a red lamp. + +**Boozer:** The lighting on it is so beautiful. Her face is so striking. + +**Shatta:** Now they are in a safer place. Kassala. They got out of +Khartoum two months ago. + +**Boozer:** I'm glad to hear that...but...everyone is moving. It's so +hard. + +**Shatta:** Yes, just imagine how tough it was for them. + +**Boozer:** Just to get out of the heart of the war. + + +![“The Unknown Hope (8)”, the Roseires Dam, Blue Nile at Ad Damazin, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).](../static/images/shatta/fig8.jpg "“The Unknown Hope (8)”, the Roseires Dam, Blue Nile at Ad Damazin, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).") + +**~~Figure 8. “The Unknown Hope (8)”, the Roseires Dam, Blue Nile at Ad Damazin, Sudan (Khalid Shatta, 2011).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yes. There's one picture, I need to discuss with you, this +one (figure 8). Imagine these people. They live beside the dam on the +Blue Nile. Those people live just three meters from the dam and they +don't have access. + +**Boozer:** They don't have access to the water? + +**Shatta:** Yes, they don't have access to the water. + +**Boozer:** That's incredible. They're so close. + +**Shatta:** Yes, I love this picture. This one is part of a series. When +did I take this one? This was part of *Migration of the Soul* or *Gods +in Action*. The red drawings. Should we also look at them? + +**Boozer:** Yes, let's do that! I have them here. I really like this one +(figure 9). + + +![“Migration of the Soul” (Khalid Shatta, 2019).](../static/images/shatta/fig9.jpg "“Migration of the Soul” (Khalid Shatta, 2019).") + +**~~Figure 9. “Migration of the Soul” (Khalid Shatta, 2019).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yes, this one is nice. + +**Boozer:** Would you like to tell us a bit about it? + +**Shatta:** This one is part of *Migration of the Soul*. The point is +not the physical migration but the mental migration. And also, the way +how we feel disconnected from our own existence. For me it is also more +like how we are engaging in time together. But also, time changes and +many things can disappear with time, through time. For example, for us +as humans -- I'm just thinking, I don't know if I'm right or not -- but +we are the last creatures who live on this earth. When we arrived here, +we found everything for us, whether through evolution or whatever. We +find the trees, we find the world, we find everything. And from there we +build the human civilization. And we had the first migration and it's a +lot of knowledge that came from this small family of human beings. And +then came the first ancient peoples the first ancient civilizations. And +now we are here in, say 2000. For me, to be in 2000, wow, just imagine +that we are the product of many little, little things. + +**Boozer:** Many small past actions and events? + +**Shatta:** Yes. And when we look at this perspective, just wow. It's +not about how long am I going to live, but how did I become a product of +all of human evolution. + +**Boozer:** Coming to this body, to this place, during this period. + +**Shatta:** Yes, with these clothes, with this knowledge. You know? So, +if you can see, there are Wifi signs. So, for us, as modern peoples, +sometimes when we go to temples, or to mosques, or to church, we get +shocked by what those people in ancient times created. The beauty. But +for us even we have our own civilization. You are in New York City; I am +in Oslo. We speak through our laptops. + +**Boozer:** That is its own wonder. + +**Shatta:** Yes. You see it is also evolution and our time. And if we +brought someone from ancient times here, he would be -- wow -- he's +going to worship us! + +**Boozer:** Yes, the technology we command is incredible. + +**Shatta:** Yes. You see, he's going to worship us. It's normal! And +that's why I feel sometimes, it's like humans we have really smart and +beautiful minds to create things. But when we link our soul with belief, +we lost our power somehow. Also, there are the trees in the picture, +human trees. It's like a forest. So, for me, it's about we and them. +It's about our history and about our present. + +**Boozer:** The deep history running into the present. + +**Shatta:** Yes, and sometimes we forget that. That's what inspires me +too. The forgetting. + +**Boozer:** I love this one (figure 10). + + +![“Gods in Action (1)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).](../static/images/shatta/fig10.jpg "“Gods in Action (1)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).") + +**~~Figure 10. “Gods in Action (1)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).~~** + + +**Shatta:** It is from a series called *Gods in Action*. So, *Gods in +Action* was inspired by a specific ocean. Solomon Islands and those +people. The way they portray their gods is a very scary way. And even +when they welcome someone, it is scary. For me, I find it very +interesting how people live by the ocean. The way they are creating +their gods. For me, if you live near the ocean you need to have a god +that can scare the huge waves of the water. I don't know. I'm just +trying to think through it. So, I call it *God's in Action* because +let's imagine how God moves things. Many of us have the image of God, +but where is the action? + +**Boozer:** He looks like a very active God here. + + +![“Gods in Action (2)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).](../static/images/shatta/fig11.jpg "“Gods in Action (2)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).") + +**~~Figure 11. “Gods in Action (2)” (Khalid Shatta, 2021).~~** + + +**Shatta:** Yes, he's moving! This one is the Nile (figure 11). In +Africa in general we like to organize by family and by sticking +together. Sometimes I feel, in Sudan in general, we have connections +with nature in a spiritual way. Because we are always symbolizing +things. People portray themselves like the snake, the lion, whatever. +Maybe the point is to study the movement of these animals and to portray +themselves as like these creatures. And also, the fish. The fish is my +favorite sign. I enjoy using it in my art. And in Sudan, in the Nuba +Mountains, they draw alligators, elephants, and fish in the caves. +Because, as we said before, there is a lot of knowledge that we +inherited through our ancestors. It came through the blood. It needs our +body to relax to receive that knowledge again. + +So, I feel like maybe if the wars end in Sudan it's possible to bring +back again a lot of things, a lot of knowledge that we didn't understand +as of now. This knowledge needs caring from the government to move +forward. But, for me, I'm just saving my questions so sometimes my art +is just a question for the future of how to use it in Sudan. Because +sometimes I feel Sudan is just an empty place. We have to build it from +scratch. And I use art sometimes as the missing home. Because here I +live really good. I enjoy life. But sometimes I get this feeling of +"ahhh, I came from Sudan." I remember. And I feel sad and I feel like, +wow, I have to do that in Sudan. Because I feel what we are missing. +What we are missing in Sudan, we are missing the foundation. This is an +illustration showing question (figure 12). I love the human expression. +The eyes. I paint a lot of eyes. + + +![“Gods in Action (3)” (Khalid Shatta, 2023).](../static/images/shatta/fig12.jpg "“Gods in Action (3)” (Khalid Shatta, 2023).") + +**~~Figure 12. “Gods in Action (3)” (Khalid Shatta, 2023).~~** + + +**Boozer:** This one has so many eyes and faces. It looks like there are +many perspectives on the question. + +**Shatta:** Yeah. + +**Boozer:** Thank you so much for going through these with me. + +**Shatta:** You're welcome. There are also many new ones. + +**Boozer:** How has living abroad shaped your perspective of homelife in +Sudan? + +**Shatta:** I think living in Norway, it's a balance of understanding +myself, understanding my country, understanding Norway. Because, in a +way, sometimes I feel I am missing something in Sudan. But me being here +it makes it easier to observe. I become more like a watcher. I can see +my tree, my journey in Sudan. I can see how I landed here. And there are +many things in Sudan that I couldn't understand because of many things. +Because of the basic needs, because of the war, because of the family. +Every time I understand something that I used to struggle to understand. +But also understanding that side of trauma and the struggle with the new +world to settle in a new place. In a way it gives me rest to understand +Sudan. But also, some years ago it all clashed together and I lost +myself. You understand? + +**Boozer:** Yes. + +**Shatta:** Deep trauma, depression, stress, and anxiety and on top of +that what's going on. Boom. It was really -- wow. And now I'm just +saying it's a good experience. *Yanni*,[^1] I love the journey! Because +also Norway, it's a place that makes me able to understand myself right +now. And also, in my art journey because I made all those arts here. To +make art is not an easy thing if you live in fear. + +**Boozer:** You need mental space in order to create. + +**Shatta:** Yes. For me, because of the space I manage to paint and to +get inspired. Norway is good for my artistic journey. Also, it is really +a good starting to know people to understand another part of the world +and also to understand how we are different and how even our problems +are totally different. And how our sadness could be the same volume and +the same meaning as the pain of the war. People here die of depression. +They die of suicide. They die with a lot of things -- with the drugs or +whatever. The people in Sudan, they die of starving, with the war, or +with the gangs. But at the end of the day, they are both lost in +themselves. They are dying. They do not exist anymore. So, I mean all +suffering is a war in itself. Also, it's a good understanding for me. +Because I can understand. Because many people if they live in a poor +situation, they think life is like that. They think they are the only +people who are suffering. But then you go out and there are other +people. + +**Boozer:** You can get a broader perspective. + +**Shatta:** Yes. I am happy to experience that. Not only to live and to +listen, but I am part of this system too. There are things you can't +learn through reading. You have to live it. This is what I can say. + +**Boozer:** What impact do you hope your art has on others? + +**Shatta:** Because I paint from my soul, I believe in that. I don't +know. I believe in my feelings. There are some things, even for me I do +not understand, but I can see it in the way I love my art and the way +other people love my art. + +**Boozer:** You just want for them to enjoy it and get what they want +from it. Is that right? + +**Shatta:** No, it's not only like that. I really love my art. For me, I +need it, I feel the beauty of it. And when people see that too, I see it +more and I appreciate that. Wow. It means a lot to me. I attract someone +through my art. + +**Boozer:** That it's having an impact, someone's finding meaning in it, +and making a connection with you? That it helps you see your art in a +new way? + +**Shatta:** Yes. And that's beautiful. Wow. What I'm trying to say is, +yeah, I appreciate that. Art, it comes from the soul. It is the language +of the heart, so when people like my art it makes me feel I am honest +when I am painting and when I am drawing. And also, it connects me. For +instance, my art is like research. When I start a painting, I start to +search. I like to go deep, and deep, and deep. And even it connects me, +especially the project I'm working on now which is about history, about +humans, about Sudan, Nubia, about many things. But also, wow, it's a +sign of how those people find me and my art. Why me? That's why I'm +saying I believe in this art. + +**Boozer:** How do you see art contributing to a feeling of home among +the people who have been displaced due to the current war? Does art have +a place in giving people a feeling of home? + +**Shatta:** I know we have war in Sudan. But I can't speak for any +artist, but in a way, it needs time to observe. You can always paint. +You know this painting? This is the first painting I made just about +Sudan (figure 13) after I went to Cairo after one year. I campaigned +about war, I campaigned about war, but I didn't feel it. You see? But +me, in Cairo, I couldn't ignore it. That's why I made this painting. +Because of what is going on in Sudan. It makes me have to try to +understand the whole things, how we came to this war, just to attack. To +attack what is going on. Because for me, what comes out, it is part of +the solution. You see now, this is part of the solution. And it is part +of the problem. It's a lot of things. It's the politics. Its many +things. But at the same time, art is the witness of the time. From +person to person, it is different. But I don't feel I can speak about +this question in Sudan, but still I paint. I paint. I painted this +painting because this is how I see the pain of war. But also, in a way, +I guess I need to be careful also to use the art in a good way. Because +now we are in a war, I am worried about Sudan...but I am not there yet. +I prefer just to let it come naturally. This painting is about Sudan. +And maybe critiquing the homescape because for people this is how they +are feeling. + + +![“15th April Panic – Battle of Khartoum 2023” (Khalid Shatta, 2024).](../static/images/shatta/fig13.jpg "“15th April Panic – Battle of Khartoum 2023” (Khalid Shatta, 2024).") + +**~~Figure 13. “15th April Panic – Battle of Khartoum 2023” (Khalid Shatta, 2024).~~** + + +**Boozer:** Their disconnect and the swarm of thoughts about war no +matter where they are. + +**Shatta:** Yes. + +**Boozer:** Are there any new mediums or projects you'd like to explore? + +**Shatta:** Yeah, actually, last month, I was in Portugal. I went for a +community called "Sacred Activism." I think now I'm looking to get in +more communities. So, I need just to spend a lot of time with many +indigenous communities. Because, one day I want to do this in Sudan. I +felt this was something I really needed. I feel very connected with +that. To be with a community. To be more spiritual with people. Tamira, +it is a place in Portugal. The founder is German. Now they are just +creating space. Most of the people are from Israel, the United States, +Germany, from Portugal, from Brazil. They create space just to grieve, +to express themselves in art and rituals and love and sexuality and +power. It's a lot of things. So, this is what I'm exploring. + +**Boozer:** You're always exploring. + +**Shatta:** Yes. + +[^1]: *Yanni* is a filler used in spoken Arabic equivalent to "like" or + "you know" in English. diff --git a/content/author/annaboozer.md b/content/author/annaboozer.md index 53c5197..e7ae334 100644 --- a/content/author/annaboozer.md +++ b/content/author/annaboozer.md @@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ affiliation: City University of New York # Biography -Anna Lucille Boozer is professor at the City University of New York and the director of The Meroë Archival Project in Sudan. \ No newline at end of file +Anna Lucille Boozer is Professor of Roman Mediterranean Archaeology and Ancient History at Baruch College and the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. She directs MAP: The Meroë Archival Project in Sudan and the CUNY excavations at Amheida in Egypt. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/content/author/shatta.md b/content/author/shatta.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..07b3df1 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/author/shatta.md @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ +--- +title: Khalid Mohamed Hammad Elkhattem +affiliation: Visual artist +--- + +# Biography + +Khalid Shatta is an Olso-based visual artist who primarily uses painting and drawing as his form of visual expression. He is also well-known for his photography. Khalid is originally from the Nuba Mountains in Sudan. 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