Arts
'Forests and Spirits' is an exhibition curated by Roubi L’Roubi and presented by Foundation Gallery at the Saatchi Gallery in London. The exhibition displays the works of three Sudanese artists Salah Elmur, Kamala Ishaq and Ibrahim El-Salahi. These artists are known to be part of the Khartoum School, an art movement which centred around the city’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. In the exhibition, El-Salahi’s work is a sculpture inspired by the acacia tree in Sudan called Haraz. This tree is indigenous to Sudan, where it is of great cultural, spiritual and economical significance. Trees are also a recurring theme in Elmur’s paintings which present people in different contexts, which are sometimes within the setting of a photo studio or in the forest. Ishaq’s works explore the cult of Zar, a term used to describe spirits which possess people. Her paintings depict ceremonies which are used to drive these spirits away. I met Roubi L’Roubi, curator of the show to talk about the works in the exhibition and his personal connection to the stories portrayed. IN STUDIO with Sharon Obuobi is a series about the stories of art makers, curators and influencers who inspire thoughtful perspectives on the world around us. To see more of the works in 'Forests and Spirits', visit our Instagram page @InStudiowithSO. Learn more about us at www.instudiowithso.com. -- All views and opinions expressed by guests are their own.