Ahmad Aladdin – known perhaps more widely by the name he gives on his Tumblr page, Abushakeema – first became serious about photography only two years ago, but since then he’s made a name for himself documenting everyday life on the streets of Khartoum.
His ongoing project “Portraitat: 1,000 Faces from Sudan” takes Aladdin’s passion for street photography further, documenting a diverse range of average Sudanese people from all walks of life. “I want people to look at the project and understand the cultural range and multitude of our backgrounds and histories,” he told Qahwa Project.
“Portraitat” – a title that simply means “portraits” in the combined Arabic-English lingo of “Arabeezy” – has become Aladdin’s own personal celebration of Sudan’s cultural diversity, and a valuable insight into the everyday rhythyms of Sudanese life often ignored in the news. And for those who might compare Aladdin’s photos to the wildly popular “Humans of New York” – “Portraitat” leaves out the heartfelt captions that “Humans” is so famous for, in favor of a project that is purely photographic.
At only 151 portraits since its inception in May 2015, “Portraitat” has a long way to go before completing its goal of 1,000 photos. Still, the project already represents a vibrant cross-section of Khartoum – from hip young hijabi artists, to elderly men praying in traditional garb, to vegetable sellers on the street.
Check out a few of Aladdin's portraits below, and visit his project here.
