SUDANESE PLASTIC ARTISTS GENERAL ASSOCIATION
DOCUMENTATION AND PUBLISHING SEMINAR

Plastic art is defined as a human activity satisfying human and social needs. Every human activity is dependent on the growth and development of human being's awareness, culture, and social behavior. Identifying the basic activities, objectives, and performance of plastic arts is one of the important aspects of conscious and being of conscious and this constitute the dialectic of work and ideology. The seminar hypothesis is that the plastic art activates for any human activity in its growth and development depends on the dialectic of work and ideology. Can we expect the interaction between the critic art and art activity?
Considering the impacts of the plastic art activities and the cultural –social level (not the academic), then we concentrate on discussion subjects about plastic and on academic sessions and the ideology concerned (critic).

Presentation: -
With the dawn of the new plastic art movement (academic plastic art), a great attention was activated towards this plastic art field. This was followed by the appearance of different thoughts in various aspects of esthetics, culture and education. This activity continued depending mainly on personal contributions from those who appreciate the importance of these problems, with the same contributions of some different institutions.
Most important contributions:
- Art Magazine Published by the School of Design 1951.
- Khartoum Magazine played an important role in the cultural field contributing a clear mentioned base in plastic art publications since mid 1960s.
- Al Ray Alaam magazine in the early 1970s.
- Al Ayyam newspaper – second half of 1970s.
- Alsahafa newspaper – late 1970s.
- Al Thgafa Alsudanya magazine – second half of 1970s up to mid 1980s.
- Al Izzaa wa Altelevizyoon wa Al Masrah magazine – late 1970s up to early 1980s.
- Alsahafa newspaper (for second time) – late 1990s.
- ALAYYAM news paper
- Al HURRIA newspaper (Recently).
Personal contributions:
- MANZOOR magazine. Ali Al AMEEN (1980s)
- JAHANNAM Journal, Hassan Mohamed Musa (with it’s continues publication since many years ago out side Sudan.
Added to that some contributions publishing about plastic art in Sudan abroad on Al Dustoor magazine, NKa Journal of Contemporary African Art one of it's editors is Dr. Salah Eljarrig , e.c.t.
At the same time, there were ten titles about esthetics philosophy all edited by Dr. Mustafa Abdu and published by Madbooly Library Printing House in Cairo, none of them was distributed inside Sudan, in addition to the contribution of Dr. Salah El jarrig in the (Seven Stories From Africa) which was published in English. Nowadays many of Sudanese plastic Artists had finished editing many manuscripts as projects for books covering different issues about plastic art world in Sudan, They are for:
- Dr. Mustafa Abdu.
- Abd El Razig Abd El Gaffar.
- Abd Allah Mahya El Din Aljinnaid.
- Ibrahim Al Slalyi.
- Alaa El Din Aljizoli.
- Mohammed Abd Alrahman Abu Sabib.
- Salah Hasan Abdalla
All these schemes are still waiting for a chance to publish.

Technological advancement and the dazzling computer capacities have it’s clear and tangible impacts on the plastic art publications in side Sudan and externally e.g. web sites of Salah Eljarrig (Contemporary African Artists: Database and African Art/ Cornell University, Shiberian gallery and Sudan Artists Gallery.
Now, here are the three main magazines performing an important role in this field and presenting now a days columns concerning plastic art publications:
- Al AYYAM newspaper – Saturday weakly .
- Al HORRIYA news paper – Wednesday weakly
- Al SAHAFA news paper - Tuesday weakly
- In addition to that is the TV program (Aswat Wa Anamil) Saturdays – in the evening.

From anther point of view still, documentation is not of less important than publication. Therefore it is not difficult to recognize some individual attempts like that of Alla Aldin Eljizooli, Alameen Mohamed Osman, Isam Abd El Hafeez , Abd Almageed Afeefy, Iman Shaggag, Ali Al Ameen and Salah Hasan Abd Alla e.d.c.
Now there are some debates recorded on over 13 (thirteen) cassette, in need of being transferred to C.Ds at the same time the Sudanese Plastic Artists Association was able to make digital photos for 5 (five) plastic Art exhibitions aiming to a huge scheme considering all Sudanese plastic artists.
Added to that the contribution of the National Documentation House in Khartoum, with its historical role through which it was able to save many documents containing plastic art literature.
When the target is to maintain heritage, then talking about documentation will directly means documentation by all media, of photo and text.
The more important question still exists is to what extend had documentation attempts succeeded to cover its topic, registering it through all different media (written, visual) stagnant or moving?
Leading questions paving the way for more discussions: -
- Is there any a satisfying researches study and discussion covering plastic art activities?
- Is there any specific space to develop conscious and cooperation in this field?
- What are the philosophical thoughts in critic and documentation of plastic art at this time?
- Did criticism and documentation of plastic art have been found on a scientific base?
- What is needed for a scientific criticism and documentation movement?
- What are the probabilities of wide publication and documentation in future field?

Proposal:
Answering these questions the secretariat of theoretical affairs at the Sudanese Plastic Art General Association started planning, implementing a follow up seminar on plastic art publication and documentation.

Objectives:
- Initiation of a common thinking and discussion concept.
- Introducing of a logical channels to identify the real problems and hence suggest solutions to be implemented with accurate follow up.
- To study and negotiate the problems with depth to end up with a logical recommendations.
- Collecting and publishing the topics discussed.

Organization:
- Written papers are submitted to be negotiated closely.
- There is a discussion leader for each topic.
- There is a president and a secretariat for each topic.
- Authors or representatives will present the topics.

Seminar schedule:

Additional papers: -
Each of the following individuals can be considered as additional participants on the following topics: -
1 – Dr. Hasssan Mohammed Musa: Plastic Art Publication Media in Sudan.
2 – Mohammed Abd Alrahman Abu Sabib: Problems of Plastic Art Publications in Sudan.
3 - Iman Shaggag:Technological effects on plastic art publication.
4 – Ahmed Elmardi: Technological effects on plastic art publication.
5 – Um Alkhair Kambal: Technological effects on plastic art publication.
6 – Abbas Mustafa Sadig: Technological effects on plastic art publication.
7 – Ibrahim Al Salahi: Problems of plastic art documentation in Sudan.
8 – Dr. Abdall Bola: - Plastic art critics in Sudan.
9 – Dr. Salah Al Jarrig: Writing / studying interaction .

More details of topics presented:
- 1st topic: (Plastic art publication on news- papers and periodicals in the Sudan) history, contributions, study of reasoning, relationship, objectives, solutions, recommendations.
- 2nd topic (Plastic art media in Sudan) Identification, possibility weakness and strength points research reasons and recommendations.
- 3rd topic: (writing / studying interaction). Study of written art to evaluate the difference between writing and publishing, financial ability for the research, recommendations.
- 4th topic: (problems of plastic art publications)
Identifications of problems, author and his qualifications, the publisher and his objectives, the receiver and marketing needs.
- 5th topic (plastic art critics in Sudan) the author needed to qualify the author, education, organization and negotiation.
- 6th topic: (The basic foundation of plastic art publication) Study of the present institution, critical view, the future horizon institution, contributors, media.
- 7th topic: (Technological effects on plastic art publication)
The technological media in the Sudan, how to make use of it, obstacles, development opportunity, personal and institutional role.
- 8th topic: (Problems of plastic documentation in Sudan) Documentation possibility, proposal of documentation media.
- 9th topic: (Problems of plastic documentation in Sudan) General surveys for plastic art documentation in Sudan, ability, experienced personnel in documentation, recommendations.
- 10th topic: (The basic foundation of plastic art documentation) surveying the present institutions, critical view, future map, institution, participants and media.
- 11th topic: (The future of plastic art publication in Sudan)
Surveying the present institutions caring for plastic art publication, labor force, market force, institution objectives.

All papers has to be written in Arabic, send it to one of the following addresses:
Deadline is the 1st. October 2002
Sudanese Plastic Artists General Association :
E-mail: artists@hotmail.com
Fax: 249 + 011 + 761075

For/ Secretariat of the Theoretical Affairs
Salah Hassan Abdalla