Ex Nihilo presents Salih Basheer’s new and important project “The Return” as part of Copenhagen Photo Festival. Basheer is a Sudanese photographer known for his photo book “22 Days in Between” which won the book prize at Rencontres D’Arles in 2023. At the moment he lives in Kenya where he works on new projects and recently became a nominee for the photography agency Magnum Photos.

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Basheer’s new project examines the profound humanitarian impact of the ongoing war in Sudan since April 2023. It focuses on the external displacement of Sudanese people, which has uprooted millions of families and individuals.

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“Three days ago, I had a nightmare for the first time in a long while. I think it was triggered by hearing the stories of Sudanese I met recently who escaped the war almost a year ago, just like me. Hearing their stories of how they got out of Sudan dragged me back to my memories.

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In the dream, I was walking down a street in Khartoum with my brother. An army car passed, and they offered us a ride to our destination. When we arrived, they told us, “If we hear gunfire, we’ll come back for you, but you must stay quiet.” As we turned the corner into the neighborhood, we encountered a group of RSF soldiers. They asked us to lie down. My brother had sunglasses, which he handed to one of the soldiers as a gift. I had nothing to offer. It seemed the soldier didn’t like me. He loaded his weapon and aimed it at my eye. I started reciting the Shahada.

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Sudan has never experienced long-term stability in its modern history. Since gaining independence from colonial rule, the country has been plagued by prolonged civil conflicts and a politically divided elite, each faction driven by its interests and agendas. This division has, in turn, fractured the Sudanese people. On April 15th last year, war broke out in the heart of the capital. For the first time, I witnessed one of Sudan’s wars on the very streets where I used to spend my time and walk every day.”