April 14, 2010

Tahir Bushra

I met Tahir Bushra in Asmara in 1994. He was a Sudanese Nuban, and had moved to Asmara to be able to create his art in relative freedom. When I met him, he was making the most beautiful paintings I'd ever seen. Most were on wood. Some were the size of doors; others were barely a foot square. His materials were sand, shoe polish, white house paint, oil pastel, and ballpoint pen. Some of the symbols in his paintings are derived from Nuban body painting, scarification, and house decoration (see Leni Riefenstahl's The Last of the Nuba and People of Kau for wonderful examples). Others are taken from koujour, the Nuban shamanistic healing rituals.

Tahir was a strange, taciturn, wonderful person, prone to disappearing without warning. He either sold his paintings for exorbitant prices or gave them away. He was something of a legend among the artists in Sudan, and his style was enormously influential.

I later visited him in Addis Ababa, and traveled with him and an Australian friend to the Blue Nile Falls and Gondar. I heard rumors that he went to London, and then San Francisco. Unlike many of the other Sudanese artists I met, he seems to have little web presence. With the assistance of Ray Dirks, I have gathered here the few images I could find. I'm hoping that Google might bring Tahir aficionados to this post. If anyone out there knows anything about Tahir, please let me know . . .

UPDATE

According to the comments and emails I've received after posting this, Tahir is - or was until fairly recently - living in Iowa, and is still doing art (some of which incorporates chains!). You can see some blurry pictures here. Be sure to read the beautiful poem on Tahir by Abdulmuniem Rahmat Allah, and check out commenter Gassim Abdelkader's wonderful paintings on his website.

UPDATE - May 23, 2022

According to an anonymous commenter, Tahir died on May 20, 2022, in Ottumwa, Iowa. Sad news.




12 comments:

  1. Altahir Bushra- Thus He's Named


    Discreet
    Restive in body
    Never really you know:
    Withdrawing into his shadow
    Or multiplying unto his sun?
    He holds on waving hands- optic order-
    Exorcizing evil
    And falling into acts of suspicion
    Eyes gently soliciting
    With earth reposes
    Snatching colour in a twinkle of heart
    Him soul searchingly contemplate:

    A Poem By: Abdulmuniem Rahmat Allah
    [Translated by: Ibrahim Jaffar- 1995- revised on February 2007]

    ...............

    I am his colleague and a friend of him, I think last time I have heard about him that he living in Ottumwa city there is some petroleum station some Mexican who knowing better in information in the area and then after you crossing a river if you ask I think you will find him a hope so
    m.o. al jack
    mohannam@hotmail.com

    this link may help

    http://sudan-forall.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=741&highlight=%D8%C7%E5%D1+%C8%D4%D1%EC&sid=250fa48afca4dadbc3558dff5b3ebdb9

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Keith
    Thank you for this wonderful reflections on Tahir Bushra´s work.I was a close friend of him before we all migrated long time ago.His work has always been special, poetic and dramatic as the artist himself. I have been trying to get hold of Tahir since 1989 when I last saw him and I managed to get hold of a group of his former friends: Hassan Ahmmed Alnagar, Mohmaed Mahjoub, Ismail Abdulhafize Ibrahim and myself Gassim Abdelkader.
    Today I got to know that he is in Iawa in the US and Mahjoub has seen him few month ago :)

    I will let you know if I manage to get hold of him :)

    Best regards
    Gassim Abdelkader
    http://www.gassim-art.com/
    Email:gassim@gassim-art.com
    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/gassimgassim

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Keith,
    I'm so glad I decided to google Tahir's name in the hope that I might find out any information about him. I too met him in Asmara in the early 90's and have been looking for him since he left. He is an incredible artist and his work is truly exquisite. I looked for information about him a long time ago but never found out much about his whereabouts. I feel blessed to have some of his pieces and will always remember him as an amazing and generous spirit. Thanks, Elsa.

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  4. Hello Keith! I know this was written a while ago but my name is Seham Murad and Tahir is my older brother. Maybe we could get in touch to speak about him!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Seham - Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! I'm afraid I don't spend much time checking my blog. I'd be very interested in what Tahir's up to. Feel free to email me at keithryanmiller@gmail.com

      Delete
    2. I knew your brother. He was a angel in my life. I never got the chance to tell him thank you. He is saving the lives of me and my children.

      Delete
    3. AnonymousMay 21, 2022

      سهام انا صديق الطاهر ...رسلي لي تلفونك ضروري

      Delete
  5. AnonymousMay 21, 2022

    RIP my dear friend Eltahir. He passed away on 05/20/2022 in Ottamwa Iowa.

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  6. Selena SmithMay 29, 2022

    El-Tahir was a free spirit with a very kind heart. He was also one of the wisest men I’ve ever talked to. Whenever I was upset, he would always seem to have the perfect advice for any type of situation. He once did an art exhibit in the yard of the Ottumwa Library, which he dedicated it to me for being a breast cancer survivor. I’m going to miss him very much.

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  7. AnonymousMay 29, 2022

    So sad find out about him passed away last week 😢 never knew his real name but his nickname is Ty, he is very good guy and several times Ty helps us do garden and set up backyard gates very nice job! He did paint pictures on both side of square for my daughter's b'day present. Ty loves houseplants a lots and outside his backyard landscape and lots plants, miss him already a lots! Glad to get know him

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousMay 30, 2023

      Very sad to hear about Tahir very nice person I met him in Asmara he was my family neighbor he teach me his Art 1994

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  8. AnonymousJune 04, 2022

    I was talking with Ty up until his passing. Have so much love for him. Will never forget the time and lessons I learned from My Teacher, and Love.

    ReplyDelete