The Future is Unwritten: Khalid AlBaih, Khartoon!

Khalid AlBaih is one of the most prolific political cartoonists in the world, publishing an artwork a day for the last 20 years. His work, a confluence of journalism and art, first came to prominence during the Arab Spring. As one of the most influential Arab cartoonists of his generation, Khalid champions freedom of expression in the around the world, commenting on subjects such as immigration, race, power, conflict and identity. His cartoons ask questions and spark conversations, transcending geographical borders and languages. Currently, Khalid aims to extend the reach and impact of his work by giving other artists in Sudan the resources and empowerment they need to make their own cartoons, and to focus on heath and healing after the trauma of protest and revolution.

Freedom (2019) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih

Revolution in Sudan

The name Sudan derives from the Arabic bilād as-sūdān (بلادالسودان) “the lands of the Black [people]”. It refers to the land where the two Niles meet and 74 languages are spoken; where the queens of the Nubian civilization dating from around 2,000 BC ruled their matriarchies, beating back the Romans and building around 255 pyramids — twice the number of pyramids in today’s Egypt. Thousands of years of trade and Hajj pilgrimage routes diversified the people, their cultures and traditions. It is the country that fought against Turkish, Egyptian and British colonisers, a country with impressive churches and mosques alike, a country famous for having had three revolutions in the past 62 years.

Sudan Retold

Sudan Retold is an art book conceived by Khalid AlBaih about the history of Sudan told by 31 Sudanese artists. The revolution in Sudan has been televised by the international media. But outside the country, apart from the protests, little is known about the present and past of Sudan. In the illustrated book, Sudanese artists and creatives tell stories about the role of women, the art of Beja sword fighting, the diversity of languages and more, providing insights into their homeland.

Guns vs. Bullets is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih

The Art of Trauma

“Before we normalize body counts and internet blackouts, we need to prepare for the next stage of the fight: our emotional health. Our art needs to address our trauma, and push new conversations about how to heal as a society before we start planning our next sit-ins. Our resistance graffiti may not be pretty, and creating it is dangerous. It may not make the news. But we need it now for our own communities, to carve out that space in society to heal, so that we keep the revolution alive. We broke the fear once, and we will break it again.” - Khalid

The Army We Need (2020) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Food for Thought (2017) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

CAMP (2016) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

We Come in Peace (2019) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Serena (2018) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Power (2017) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Climate (2020) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

First Responders (2020) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Dropped Pin (2018) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Home (2016) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.

Free Journalism (2018) is an illustration by Sudanese Political Cartoonist Khalid AlBaih.