Scattered Memories: Itinerant Exhibition Traces Sudanese Cultural Memory Across Borders

The traveling exhibition 'Scattered Memories' brings together artists, researchers, and cultural practitioners to explore memory as a living process amid Sudan's ongoing war and displacement. Curated by Jasour Abualgasim in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Sudan team (Sylke Berlin, Faten Faiz, Mohamed Al-Mujtaba, Hadeel Osman), the project has unfolded across multiple cities including Addis Ababa, Kampala, and Cairo, with a Berlin presentation planned. The Cairo iteration (May 1–3, 2026) was co-developed with South African curator Michelle Miati. The exhibition incorporates diverse media—theatre, photography, film, music, research writing, animation, painting, storytelling, fashion, henna body art, and live cooking—to engage with collective memory, displacement, and cultural heritage. Participating artists found solace in art as a healing process, with the diversity of host environments (Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia) stimulating unique expressions. The project aims to reshape international perceptions of Sudanese contemporary art and foster dialogue among Sudanese diaspora and host communities. Future plans include discussions with UNESCO regarding antiquities and museums in Sudan.