This episode of The Misk Art Library Podcast brings Sudanese painter Salah Elmur who talks about memory, imagination, and artistic identity. Elmur reflects on his Sudanese upbringing, his dreamlike paintings, and his reluctance to label himself as an artist. He explores how memory, place, and biography shape artistic voice.

His work is featured in the Misk Art Library volume Salah Elmur: Visual Chronicles available in English and Arabic.

0:00 Introduction

1:02 Elmur's Childhood in Sudan

2:50 Identifying As an Artist

3:32 Evolution of Artistic Themes and Styles

4:50 Connections With Other Artists Across the Arab World

6:11 Learning About African and Other International Art

7:15 Sudanese Culture and Visual Culture Studies

8:00 Discovering Other Great Artists

8:48 Elmur's Studio in Cairo

9:45 Elmur's Art Pieces

12:29 The Influence of Sudan on Elmur's Art

13:13 Expressing Personal Identity Through Art

16:48 Childhood Photos and Memories

Salah Elmur (born 1966, Al Jarif, Sudan) is an artist, graphic designer, filmmaker, and author whose artistic practice showcases a visual anthology and fabulist interpretation of real and fictive events. Elmur unites disparate, emblematic elements, creating strongly symbolic and colourful paintings that feature figures he extracts from his “cerebral boxes.” Having lived between Sudan, Kenya, and Egypt, Elmur’s creative output is informed by these multiple experiences – of the people, nature, and wildlife. His subjects transport viewers to a new reality in which relations shift and nostalgia prevails. His work carries a deep sense of sympathy for the human spirit, connecting the rich and diverse spectrum of tradition and culture.

Connect with Salah Elmur 👉 https://instagram.com/salahelmur

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

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