Khalid Albaih: Sudan in Ink: Politics, Protest, and Art

During this CIRS dialogue, Khalid Albaih (the 2025 GUQ Artist-in-Residence) was in conversation with Suzi Mirgani, contextualizing the history of Sudanese art through times of conflict. At the Georgetown University in Qatar campus, CIRS installed two exhibitions of Khalid’s artwork. An exhibition of Khalid’s political cartoons on Sudan was curated by Larissa-Diana Fuhrmann, and another exhibition on Khalid’s political cartoons depicting international affairs was curated by GUQ students Noon Elsharif and Ayah Ahmed.

Khalid Albaih is a Sudanese independent political cartoonist renowned for his incisive human rights advocacy, shared globally under the name “Khartoon.” His cartoons have been exhibited worldwide, and his writings have appeared in major international publications. Albaih was the central figure in The Guardian’s short documentary *The Story of Civil Rights is Unfinished* (2016) and has published two influential books: Khartoon! and Sudan Retold, an art book he co-edited, featuring contributions from 31 Sudanese artists documenting Sudan’s rich history. His work extends beyond drawing, with installations like Bahar, a poignant video piece using found footage of refugees at sea; The Walls Have Ears (Documenta 15), and Shahid (Mathaf, Qatar, 2024), Season of Immigration to the North (Brescia Musei, Italy, 2024), all exploring themes of displacement and social justice. In 2024, he broadened his influence by hosting Alhasil Shino? on AJ+. Albaih is also the editor-in-chief of KhartoonMag.com, a platform for displaced Sudanese cartoonists, and creator of the award-winning Doha Fashion Fridays, which amplifies marginalized voices. Albaih remains a vital force in art activism, championing global social justice and freedom of expression.

Khalid is a participant in the CIRS Sudan Research Project.