Ahmed Umar’s sculptural rendering of his own sarcophagus (a stone coffin usually associated with Ancient Egypt) expresses the pain of oppression while also paying respect to the dead. His self-portrait blends autobiographical aspects of identity, personal experience and connections to the black pharaohs of the ancient kingdom of Kush (which was located at what is now the Sudanese and southern Egyptian Nile Valley), with contemporary prejudice and projected futures. Umar’s work is informed by his conservative upbringing in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Sudan, and often highlights the repercussions of existing outside of social and cultural norms. He uses his personal experiences as a tool to discuss the silencing, demonising and compromising of queer lives in both the Sudanese and international contexts.

Ahmed Umar is an interdisciplinary artist and visual autobiographer. Using media including ceramics, jewellery, performance, installation and photography he explores the intersection of cultural traditions, religion and his life story.

Presented at the 22nd Biennale of Sydney with generous assistance from the Office for Contemporary Art Norway Courtesy the artist