Lot 26 – 2017

Abdel Basit El Khatim (Sudanese, born 1942)
54 Years – (Modern and Ancient), 1995
Signed ‘signature 1995’ (lower right)
Wood and paint sculpture
50 x 46 x 3 cm

Ksh 270,000-350,000
(US$ 2,520-3,270)
Sold Ksh 469,600

Provenance: private collection of Geraldine Robarts

Abdel Basit El Khatim is an experienced artist living and working in Khartoum. Throughout his career he has experimented with diverse material and techniques, combining sculpture and painting to create a unique style.
This relief sculpture from 1995 shows a sequential historical narrative; beginning with the heads at the top symbolizing the ancient time of the Pharaohs. The centre strip depicts the River Nile, to the right of which are many fallen heads, representing the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The revolution set in motion events that led to the independence of Sudan. The bottom strip, where a man peacefully reads his newspaper, indicates the emancipation of the Sudanese people.
El Khatim graduated in 1967 from the College of Fine and Applied Art, Sudan University of Science and Technology, where he is now a professor of Graphic Design. He obtained an MA in Education from the University of Wales and also holds a PhD from Juba University.
El Khatim’s work was part of the seminal exhibition Seven Stories about Modern Art in Africa, Whitechapel Gallery, during Africa 95 in London.