Last week I shared that I had joined Liwan here in Doha as a new member artist. Over the weekend I attended the Fursa artist gathering and it felt so good to be in a community of other artists of varying backgrounds and disciplines. As a Black and Muslim woman, in this part of the world, I am often mistaken for, or initially identified as Sudanese because in Egypt and here In Qatar, Sudanese people are among the largest groups of immigrants.
This is due to many factors, one of them being the current war and past wars, and another being their high-level of education, particularly in medicine and engineering. It might seem strange that both exist at the same time (both fleeing and desirable), but it’s a reality I experienced when I met a Sudanese artist who I connected with at Liwan last week. As she shared her jaw-droppping design work and her story for how she got to Qatar, I held back my tears.
Because of the war.
I felt her trying to be strong as she spoke about trying to find her way here after being so successful elsewhere. I wanted to be strong for her too.
Displacement is real and it’s painful and jarring.
Many displaced people were thriving in their homes and had not planned to move. Traveling, sure… but to be ripped out, forced to run… no, that’s not anyone’s plan.
My ancestors were talented people too. We were uprooted, chained, forcibly displaced and had to figure out how to get free in a new and undesired land for centuries – and to thrive.
And, some of us returned to Africa, to repatriate, others just to visit, to feel and touch, taste, smell and try to imagine what it was like… what it could be like. To learn and connect. Because Africa is home too. It’s not a mythological 3,000 years ago place for people of African descent, but a 3 or 5 generations from the eldest in your family back to the soil place of belonging. It helps inform, and answer the why of who we are and why we feel and do the way we do. Our rhythm, our soul, our deep reverence for our ancestors and community – that’s from Africa.
I want us to reflect on this together.
Join me for a reflective art journaling session on December 28th.
We will explore themes in my Malcolm X in Turban artwork, including:
The Lotus (Rebirth and Iteration) : What parts of your life are ready to bloom from the mud of 2024?
👳🏾♂️Connection and Provenance (The Turban): How can you ground yourself more deeply in your heritage and values for the year ahead?
⭕ Community (The Circle): moving from individual growth to collective power.
👇 HOW TO JOIN THE CIRCLE
Because we are doing deep work, I want you to enter the room prepared.
- Download the Journal: fill the form below to get your free PDF copy of The Mirror and the Map.
- Get the Invite: The first email you’ll receive from me will have the event information as well. Don’t forget to add it to your calendar!
- Start Reflecting: Spend some time with the PDF. Let the initial questions sit with you so you are ready to go deeper when we meet.
Let’s close this Centennial year with reflection and intention.
Best,
Nsenga Knight