Somalia: Art of Hope

Untitled (2013) by Abdicasiis Maxamed Cali

One woman had brought her two teenage sons. It was going to be their first visit home. I couldn’t help but chuckle as I recognised the fear and irritation etched on their young faces. I had worn the exact same look on my first trip to Mogadishu from Italy. While waiting to board, I got into an argument with an unknown man who was trying to trick me into checking in a mysterious box of ‘dates’ under my name to Mogadishu. I refused but he kept insisting. I raised my voice at him and he hurried off. I still wonder what exactly was in that box of so-called dates.

Old Building of Somalia (Saed Bargash) (2013) by Abdikadir Awes



The sun was blistering hot on my skin and I was uncomfortable in that heat. I hurried into the arrival lounge. As I queued with the rest of the passengers, I was told I was in the wrong line. A weird feeling came over me as I realised I was being directed to the ‘Foreigners’ queue. There is something humbling about arriving in your home country, the land of origin of your mother, and having to wait in the foreign citizens’ line. Indeed, I was a foreigner who could not tell left from right in this city; a foreigner whisked away as a toddler only to return when it suited me.

Untitled 1 (2013) by Abdinaasir Daud Abdi

I paid US$ 50 for my foreigner’s visa, and stepped outside, straight into the arms of the usual smooth talkers who try to trick you. And when my luggage arrived I found that there was a piece missing. I went to the flight operator’s desk and they told me that probably my luggage had been left back in Nairobi. I struggled away from the taxi drivers fighting to provide me with their services and followed the guy who had come to pick me up from the airport. I stopped abruptly as a convoy of African Union tanks passed by, followed by a truck full of Somali soldiers. The African Union troops are in the country to bring peace and order after a long and brutal civil war. This kind of convoy was to become a frequent sight during my stay.

Shooba (Old Man) (2013) by Abdirahman Abdirashiid

We forced our way through rush-hour traffic, the war-torn buildings crowded with people. But there were also new sights: soldiers in uniform, a myriad of construction projects competing with one another, people counting money in public, the Turkish flag waving proudly from various buildings, teenagers texting away on their smartphones. There were school children in their brightly-coloured uniforms walking in groups to catch the bus home; elderly men sitting under the trees for shade, quietly sipping tea; the constant yelling of drivers trying to hustle passengers into their vans. Mogadishu is a noisy city. It has to be. Everything in the city happens while the sun is up. You get a sense of frantic energy but at the same time nobody is in any real rush. The people here subscribe to the philosophy ‘whatever happens, happens’.

Untitled (2013) by Albaano Cuma Saciid

I noticed that every woman and even young girls were now wearing either a burka or jalabeeb (a head-to-toe burka). The traditional baati (long dresses) had been replaced by jalabeebs. I stared at the women wearing them. They in turn stared at me. After a 20-minute drive I finally reached my destination, the Hotel Gaboow where I would be staying during my stay here in Mogadishu. In the evening that same day I met Abdikhadir Awes, the director of the art association known as ‘Happy Arts’. We talked about the project over a cappuccino. That evening I was extremely tired, so I went to my room, took a shower and went directly to bed.

Tradition (2013) by Aw Macoow

The next day I woke up very early because I had a meeting with the artists in their studios. Without wasting any time my assistant Bashe Eliye and I went off to see them, where we found every one of them armed with a brush and some colours. The security check was directed by Hassan Abdulkadir Bolay and his assistant. I got up with my assistant Bashe Eliye and explained the purpose and the advantages of the Project. I left the canvases to the artists. I then took some photos of the artists working in their studios. During the reign of Alshaabab, who considered art a sin, many artists lost their lives, and some their hands, just to keep them away from their passion for painting.

Absons Arts (2013) by Cabaas Ibrahim Nuur

It was very important to see the young-generation artists having something to learn from the old-generation artists, and this revival of the passion for painting. This project might help them revive Somali art. Many people were even surprised to see that there were such a number of artists in Mogadishu, a city where formerly an artist had painted secretly in his house, because art was considered a crime. So many artists kept up their contacts and decide to form an association. We packed the canvases in the suitcase. It had been a very long day and we were tired so we went back to our rooms.

Moos (Banana) (2013) by Ilyas Maxamed Siidow

I went to bed early because the next day I had a flight to Hargeysa. I woke very early in the morning, dressed and departed, escorted by the hotel van to the airport. Before reaching the airport we passed 10 checkpoints where every time you have to get out of the car and open your bags. The airport is well-protected by many checkpoints to reduce the chances of an attack. After a tiring journey we finally reached the airport, where we had to pass through several metal detectors. The airport was full of people of different nationalities and ethnic groups: many Russian engineers, Turkish engineers, Indians, and many Kenyans.

Safar (2013) by Jamal Bashir Mudey

At 9 a.m. we boarded the Juba Airways flight, which was heading for Dubai but on a transit to Hargeysa-Somaliland. The plane left at 9.30 a.m. and we landed at Hargeysa at 10.30. The airstrip is small compared to the one in Mogadishu. There were many Somalis, most of them business men, I could tell by their clothes. After the normal security check routine we got our luggage and headed out where a taxi guy that I had contacted while I was in Mogadishu came to pick us up and drop us at the hotel. After going through numerous security checks, we were finally out. The roads were in a very poor condition, with clouds of dust raised by the buses and cars, not to mention the donkeys drawing carts in the middle of the roads. We headed directly to the city centre, where our hotel was situated. I didn’t waste time that evening, I decided to fix an appointment with an artist who is the president of his art association known as ‘Hanad Arts’. Over dinner I briefly explained the project and told him to get some artists together, if possible the next day. Without hesitation, Hanad stood up and told me to give him some time and he would let me know if he had managed to bring the artists together.

Gamuun (Arrow and Bow) (2013) by Laki Cabdi Xasan

We had dinner and then we went straight to bed; the day had been very long. The next morning at around 10 I was woken up by a call from Hanad. He had managed to find a working space and had brought together some artists there. I called the taxi guy and while waiting for him I prepared all the materials I needed for the artists. I packed the suitcase with the canvases into the taxi and we headed for the meeting area. When we arrived the artists were already there, waiting for me. I went into the conference room and briefly explained the project to the artists. After the meeting I left the canvases for the artists and they went back to their own studios. I decided to go and explore the city: there were many open-air markets selling clothes and various vegetables and fruit. In the market I saw lots of white people and Arabs out on their own, so obviously foreigners felt safe and were not afraid. My newly-found friends in Hargeysa really helped me to relax, and drove me around the city, took me out to eat American, Italian and Ethiopian food.

Qaarada Somalia iyo Qudaar (Map of Somalia with... (2013) by Maxamed Abdinuur Aadan

After the long day I went back to the hotel and went straight to bed. The next morning I received a call from Hanad, who told me that the works were done and the canvases were ready to be picked up. I quickly changed and went to the meeting place. I was very curious to see the works. When I arrived the artists were all sitting waiting to show me their art works. They also filled in some forms to give their biographies. As soon as they were done filling the forms I started numbering and organizing the canvases in the suitcase. I did it as fast as I could because I had to catch a flight back in the evening, I went back to the hotel and packed my stuff. I stopped for lunch and then headed to the airport. As the day came to an end the idea of leaving Somalia saddened me. I had really enjoyed my stay there.

Abdulmalik Mabellini African Art Curator