Mariane Ibrahim is pleased to announce the global representation of Salah Elmur (b. 1966, Khartoum), whose work is rooted in the rich artistic legacy of Sudan and stands as a cornerstone in the post-colonial Sudanese cultural evolution. Inspired by the dynamic movement of the Khartoum School in the early 1960s, Elmur's oeuvre reflects the sights and sounds of his upbringing near the Blue Nile. His paintings create narratives that blend his lived experiences with folklore and collective memories.
Embodying Sudan's historical pursuit to establish a national cultural identity in the 1970s, Elmur’s work reimagines family scenes from 1960s studio portraits against backdrops reminiscent of his father's photography studio. In alignment with the Khartoum School's intention to depict the diverse culture and unique identity of Sudan, his compositions, influenced by geometric post-modernist styles, serve as an active homage, seeking to capture and preserve the character of Sudanese culture and history.
Elmur's paintings draw inspiration from his daily encounters in Egypt and Sudan, each canvas imbued with a serene visual stillness and a photographic quality that forms a nexus between figuration and abstraction. Featuring hybrid characters and animals, his compositions symbolize the immediacy and coevolutionary bond between animals and humans in Sudanese society, representing aspects of religion, identity, and the connection between man and nature.
“Salah’s artistry stands as a vibrant tribute to Sudan's rich cultural tapestry, blending nostalgia with innovation to create a timeless narrative -- We are excited to forge this partnership and representation”, states Mariane Ibrahim.
Salah Elmur’s work will be featured in a solo exhibition at the gallery’s Paris location in 2025.
Expressing his gratitude for the upcoming solo exhibition at the gallery’s Paris location in 2025, Elmur states, “I have long respected Mariane Ibrahim and look forward to our shared journey ahead.”
About Salah Elmur:
Salah Elmur's artistic journey is deeply entwined with Sudanese cultural heritage, resonating with the pioneering spirit of the Khartoum School and modernist movements within African and Arab diasporas. Inspired by his upbringing near the Blue Nile in Khartoum, Elmur's work reflects the rich history of Sudanese culture. His fascination with photography, nurtured in his father's studio, infuses his paintings with the nostalgia of 1960s Sudanese portrait photography. His compositions blend figurative abstraction, and familial themes, reflecting the multiplicities within Sudanese life. Emerging from the socio-political landscape of 1960s and 70s Sudan, his artistic repertoire serves as a testament to the era's post-colonial ethos, harmonizing with geometric post-modernist aesthetics to immortalize Sudanese heritage and shape a multifaceted visual identity that echoes through time.
His work finds a home in esteemed collections worldwide, such as MoMA, New York, USA; Le Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, USA; Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa; the Sharjah Art Museum, UAE; the Museum of African Contemporary Art, Al Maaden, Marrakech, Morocco and the North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, USA.
