Born in 1986 in Omdurman, Sudan, and currently based in Nairobi, Kenya, Elhassan Elmuontasir, is a visual artist and designer with a background in graphic design, technical education, international relations and ne art practices. Elmuontasir has co-founded ‘Khaish Studio’ (2012 – 2019), a first of its kind collective studio in Khartoum that has been part of numerous exhibitions, workshops and artists residencies locally and internationally. Elmuontasir has been awarded residencies at 32 Degrees East, Kampala, (Ug) (2017), Iewlewahaus Museum, Bayreuth (Gr) (2018) and his latest with Goethe Institute, Khartoum (Sd) (2020). His work has been exhibited in Sudan, Uganda, India, Germany, Kenya and Nigeria.
During his time with “Khaish Studio”, Elmuontasir grew interests in cultural management and became an experienced artist-run space manager. In 2019, he has been selected to participate at the Curatorial Intensive Program with Lagos Biennale in its 2nd edition in Lagos, Nigeria and ever since has been contributing to many exhibitions and curatorial projects.
His practice has been focused on portraiture painting, experimental artworks and installations with a focus on identity, social structures and individuality. With a keen interest in sociopolitical expressions, Elmuontasir produces research based artworks with an openness to experimentation. His quest to answers on how we deal with the everyday life are explored through different projects and solo exhibitions as “Unfit for Selfie” (2022), “Vision board/ mindset” (2021) (Sd), “TRUSONA” (2021) (Sd), “Making\Unmaking Faces” (2018) (Gr) and “Trueface” (2017) (Sd).
Solo Exhibitions (selection)
2022: Unfit for selfie, Tribal Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya.
2021: Vision Board/Mind-set, Rift Digital Lap – Goethe Institute and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Project Khartoum, Sudan.
2021: Trusona, Savannah Innovations Lap, Khartoum, Sudan.
2018: Making\Unmaking Faces at Iewlewahaus Museum, Bayreuth, Germany.
2017: Trueface, Mojo Gallery, Khartoum, Sudan.
Group Exhibitions (selection)
2023 of Faces, Tales and Lands, The Muse Gallery, Kartoum, Sudan. Voice of Images, B Artworks Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa.
2020 Acts of Resistance: An Anthology, Goethe Institute, Virtual Exhibition, Group. Dialectic of Seeking Refuge And Aversion ( an exhibitions inspired by the events that took place during the revolution ), Institute francais de Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan, Dual.
2019 A Glimpse of East Africa, Mitsubishi Motors Showroom, Lagos, Nigeria, Group. A Stage Exhibition at Kunstraum, Berlin, Germany, Group.
2018 Conversation, Institut francais de Khartoum, Sudan, Dual. II World Summit Of The Arts Of Peace And Life, Ecuador, Group.
2017 Life Tracing, Karmakol Festival, karmakol, Sudan, Group. Arising African Perspective exhibition at LKB/ Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, Group. Khartoum Contemporary Exhibition at Circle Art Agency, Nairobi, Kenya, Group. Utsha Foundation Bhubaneswar, India, Group.
2016 Widerkunst Festival at Holzmarkt, Millerntor Gallery And Holzmarkt, Berlin, Germany, Group . Yalla Reunion, Omdurman Cultural Center, Goethe Institute, Khartoum, Sudan, Group. Drinking Water for All, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, Group.
Artist Residencies
2022: Artist Residency, The Muse Multi Studios, Khartuom, Sudan.
2020: Artist Residency, A Goethe Institute Project, Virtual Residency, Sudan.
2018: Artist Residency, Iewlewahaus Museum, Bayreuth, Germany.
2017: Artist Residency, 32 Degrees East, Kampala, Uganda.
Press
2021 Art on the front lines of a changing Sudan, Aljazeera English, Online.
2019 Illustration, Innen Welten, Berlin, Germany.
2017 Africa’s Most Misunderstood Country, BBC Cultural Report.
2016 Documentary of Viva Con Agua with Millerntor Gallery, Drinking Water Project, Hamburg, Germany. Book, Waterproof #6, of Viva Con Agua with Millerntor Gallery, Drinking Water Project, Hamburg, Germany. Cultural Documentary Art in Khartoum, BBC English, Khartoum, Sudan.
2016 Article, Khartoum’s Building Art Scene, okayafrica, online.
2015 Cultural Report, Alshorog TV, Khartoum, Sudan. Interview, BBC Arabic TV, Khartoum, Sudan. Report, Arabia TV, Khartoum, Sudan.
Projects and Grants
2023
2020 Sudan Moves, a Goethe Inistitut Project, Virtual Residency, Sudan, Germany.
2016 Viva Con Agua Water Project, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg, Germany. German Language Study Grant, Goethe Institute, Khartoum, Sudan.
2015 Yalla Khartoum Project, Goethe Institute, Khartoum, Sudan.
