Profile: Reem Al Jeally, Sudan A matriarchal figure is painted on a concrete wall on Jamhuriya Avenue, next to the University of Khartoum. Her face is not depicted. She wears a white toub - a traditional Sudanese garment that drapes around the body and loops over the head. Imitating the waves of the sea, her toub flows along the length of the wall, contrasting against a dark backdrop of a painted night sky while carrying silhouettes of people forward.
The mural - bearing the words Noura dreams of an existence that has no restrictions, a homeland that has no borders, no soldiers, no oppressed, no oppressors taken from a famous Sudanese poet - captured international attention in April 2019.
It symbolised the integral role women played at the centre of the pro-democracy protests in Sudan, fronting the uprising that ousted President Omar Al Bashir from 30 years of authoritarian rule. It represented how the country was unified in its wish to see change.
It was the creation of 23-year-old Khartoum-based visual artist and curator, Reem Al Jeally, one of the young creatives currently participating in Thomson Media's training programme, NEW SPACES Media Labs with Goethe-Institut Sudan.
The murals of the Sudanese revolution sit-in were a reminder of something astonishing, says Reem. They were a dose of strength you see in the streets.
I wanted to join the movement and art was the only way I could express myself and immortalise the revolution. My murals were about the bravery of Sudanese women. All three paintings had a leading female figure wearing a white toub, surrounded by her people.
Reem, who works with a brush and acrylic paints, rather than stencils and a spray can, was one of several emerging and outspoken young female artists who created celebratory murals on city walls and documented the potency and power of Sudanese women who have long led change.
We were never given complete artistic freedom to express ourselves, so being able to paint in the streets of my city so freely was definitely a new feeling that we all very much needed, says Reem.
Art helped raise awareness of the revolution and changed the public's perception of the importance of art and how it affects and supports a case. Before 2019, there were a lot of restrictions and rules on what was considered art and many cultural institutions were controlled or monitored by the government.
Creative institutions are now reemerging under new management or being revived and educational resources are being set up to further the ambitions of artists and art enthusiasts.
Reem has been enriching the art scene not just with her own vividly painted canvases but by supporting other emerging female creatives through her art platform, Bait Al Nisa (House of Females), which she set up in July 2020.
The art scene, while changing, is still mostly made up of men, she says. So I wanted to create a space for prospective, self-taught female artists to grow together, for their talents to be showcased and for the arts to be truly open to all .
Through Savannah Innovation Labs, a hybrid co-working space that invests in future change makers in Sudan, Reem has been able to host exhibitions, private views, workshops and training and establish an art studio that will host a first of its kind residency programme in Sudan.
-- Play
-- --
Reem's work continues to represent women, comment on social change and hint at a more positive future, as well as her own sentiments and life experiences and the issues and subtleties that she notices in her community.
Her portraits are intimate and powerful but with a surreal edge, often fed through in her subjects' over-exaggerated eyes and in the paintings' unconventional tones, skin coloured an unnatural shade.
The overall effect is one of invitation: by gesturing viewers to participate in the works' outlandish style, they might emerge with a more serious message about the issues, challenges, barriers and concerns that loom so large for ordinary Sudanese women; namely opportunity, social class and status, acceptance, perception, self-image.
Eyes are a portal to a person's mind, soul and life, explains Reem. In my work, that is a significant element that allows me to blend personal stories with the collective concerns of Sudanese women. It's a starting point for musings into identity, growth, belonging, womanhood. The amplified effect that accompanies those eyes is meant to make the viewer a little uncomfortable, just enough to feel something.
I want to continue showcasing the intensity of women and what they are capable of.
Reem Al Jeally, artist and curator, Sudan
Now Reem is looking to bring her creative flair to photography. She's using the toab, a recurring element in her paintings, in a series of new portrait photographs for NEW SPACES Media Labs. This Thomson Media programme runs from August to October, 2021, and is designed specifically for young creatives like Reem who are seeking to enhance their skills in online content creation, photography and mobile journalism.
Female characters are important to my work, says Reem. So I have chosen to work with Sudanese women who are toub designers and who are modernising and reimagining the traditional garment using paint and colour. I want to capture these young designers in their own environment and add another dimension to my creative work. I also want to continue showcasing the intensity of women and what they are capable of.
Follow Reem on Instagram: @reemaljeally__
NEW SPACES Media Labs is a project of the Goethe-Institut and supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. Images courtesy of Reem Al Jeally and @BaitAlnisa.
Related content
Giving Sudanese a voice in rebuilding their economy
Mobile journalism during the revolution which gripped Sudan
Sudan: fair and ac
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
Profile: Reem Al Jeally, Sudan A matriarchal figure is painted on a concrete wall on Jamhuriya Avenue, next to the University of Khartoum. Her face is not depicted. She wears a white toub - a traditional Sudanese garment that drapes around the body and loops over the head. Imitating the waves of the sea, her toub flows along the length of the wall, contrasting against a dark backdrop of a painted night sky while carrying silhouettes of people forward. 
