She is a Country

‘She is a Country’
Original: Oil pastel on paper
A4 Print: Signed premium fine art print on 100% cotton Hahnmeule paper

Description:

‘She is a country’ sits at the heart of Leena Kheir’s artworks. It is the piece after which Leena’s latest series is named. The piece portrays her mother in the passenger seat of a car in Khartoum, as they make their way across the city. Her mother her city guide - and in a greater sense - a guide for her culture, and sense of Sudanese identity.

“[...] When I think of Sudan, I think of the colour ochre - so brilliant across Sudan's buildings, sand, gold, and tea. I think of hospitality and warmth. I think of sweetened shai, with cardamom, cloves, and a stick of cinnamon. I think of syrupy, soft basboosa. I think of my mother's bukhoor, and how she made barrels of it for my future home during my wedding preparations. I think of her sitting in the passenger seat pointing out the sites as we are driven through Khartoum.”

Excerpt from Leena’s essay ‘She is a Country’ which can be found on her Substack profile: https://writtenbyleen.substack.com/p/she-is-a-country

Instagram: @leenakheir

Other pieces by Leena Kheir include: 

• ‘Remembrance’
• ‘Together Part I’
• ‘Together Part II’