Global witnessing amidst launch of ‘Shahid’ exhibition

Sudanese artist and political cartoonist Khalid Albaih’s "Shahid” exhibition shines a spotlight on the interconnected nature of the ongoing crises in Gaza and Sudan, and the urgent need for collective witnessing.The artist’s powerful installation, which opened yesterday at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, confronts viewers with the stark realities of conflict and displacement in Gaza while drawing attention to the neglect faced by Sudan in Western media narratives."We are all aware of Sudan’s neglect by Western media, particularly during the simultaneous devastations in Gaza and Sudan over the past year,” Albaih said in a statement. "This disregard of Sudan can largely be attributed to Western media’s struggle to simplify the country’s multifaceted issues into black-and-white narratives, overlooking its interconnectedness with the same regional powers.”"In my interactive installation Shahid, which means ‘witness’ in Arabic, I aim to highlight a few of the early viral images from Gaza, which were often quickly forgotten as the world witnessed wave after wave of horrific imagery from the ongoing massacres,” he said."Additionally, practical challenges, like limited Internet access on the ground in Sudan, contribute to the scarcity of footage available for use by the media,” Albaih added. "Amidst my constant search for news on Sudan online, like many around the world, I became a firsthand witness to Gazans documenting their own genocide.”The exhibition invites visitors to immerse in the experiences of those affected by conflict."Through this act of solidarity with Gaza, I also stand in solidarity with Sudan and other overlooked countries in conflict in the Global South. I firmly believe that only when the world sees the well-documented genocide in Gaza, will it see us all,” he said.Albaih’s work challenges mainstream narratives and calls for a reevaluation of how global crises are perceived and addressed.Through art, the artist advocates for solidarity, empathy, and action in the face of adversity.