Politics of Land and Paper
“Politics of Land and Paper” explores themes of displacement, memory, and belonging through the intimate medium of a notebook. Created in 2023, the project is part of the larger collection “Leaving Khartoum: Notes from Afar,” facilitated by Khalid Albaih, Larissa Diana-Fuhrmann, and Rahiem Shadad. The work reflects the experiences of thousands of Sudanese people who were forced to leave their homes due to the outbreak of war, navigating the complexities of crossing borders and seeking refuge in unfamiliar lands .
The project employs a combination of lino printing, collage, and drawing techniques, resulting in a tactile and visually layered artifact. The notebook itself is a compact object (14 cm x 9 cm x 2 cm, 150 g), yet it carries profound emotional and conceptual weight . Through fragmented visuals and textual elements, Aljeally captures the uncertainty and fluidity of displacement, where instructions and circumstances change “every minute,” and individuals find themselves suspended in transitional spaces like cities, borders, and airports .
Aljeally’s approach is deeply personal yet universally resonant, emphasizing the human experience of movement and the renegotiation of identity in new contexts. The project subtly addresses the interplay between physical geography “land” and the documentation of lived experiences “paper”, suggesting how narratives of place and self are constructed, preserved, and transformed .
While the work is rooted in the specific context of Sudan, its themes extend to broader discussions about migration, resilience, and the quiet struggles of adapting to new environments. The project has been exhibited internationally, including at the Saatchi Gallery in London.
Exhibitions:
DETOUR LONDON, SAATCHI GALLERY, September 2023
This exhibition, guided by the question ‘Can creativity change the world?’, showcases Moleskine notebooks transformed into stunning works of art by artists, designer, activists and changemakers, including William Kentridge, Francis Kéré, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Paula Scher, Toyo Ito, Hannah Marshall, and Aida Muluneh. Each notebook tells a different story, dream project, or distinctive way of being and relating to the world, showcasing how creativity can be a transformative force on a personal and community level.
The Wandering Of Dreams, Gallery Melike Bilir, Curated By Larissa-Diana Furhman And Reem Aljeally, January - February 2024
A group exhibition on the (im)possibility of dreaming. To dream while in peace entails different prospects than to dream while in turbulence. To dream individually holds within it dreaming collectively. And to dream as a woman is to carry the dreams of all those around you. The exhibition – The Wandering of Dreams – displays the work of 7 Sudanese female artists reflecting on past, present, and future of one's self and a nation in extension. During these times of a raging war, displacement, instability, and violent conflict, the artworks invite us to think about dreaming in the past and future whilst facing an unknown present. To dream is to preserve and remember, to carry within you a life once lived and a life yet to be lived. Es ist auch die Traditionen und Emotionen von denen, die um Sie gelebt und weiterhin leben. This combination is vivid in the work of the artists, from Amna Elhassan'sprint making centring Sudanese traditions within female communities depicting Dokhan, braids, and Karkar, to Yasmeen Abdullah's immersive paintings that resemble a composition of an illusive reality of their own. Memory and longing are as well a poignant element in the works, whether it's longing for a home in Dar Al Naim's work or longing for a better future that holds within it all that has been through Zainab Gaafar's imagined film posters. In her photographs, Aya Sinada invites us to consider the power of dreams to shape our perceptions of what is happening around us and how we can continue to dream in the face of adversity, while Enas Suliman's poems are a strong testimony of overcoming hardship yet honoring and preserving its memory. Ultimately, this exhibition is a powerful demonstration of the resilience of the human spirit and an invitation to dream boldly in the face of uncertainty. 'The Wandering of Dreams,' not only invites us to contemplate the nature of dreaming in the context of an unknown present but also serves as a poignant reminder of the human capacity to envision a better future despite the most challenging circumstances. As we immerse ourselves in the vibrant prints, immersive paintings, and poignant photographs, we are reminded of the enduring power of dreams to shape our perceptions and fuel our resilience in the face of adversity.
