TO THE PALACE UNTIL VICTORY 

ILA AL-QASR HATA AL-NASR

Sudanese history embedded within its walls, the Republican
Palace stands as a silent witness to the nation’s oscillation
between subjugation and self-determination. From the
echoes of the October 1964 Revolution –the title paying
homage to a slogan conceived by this movement– pivotal in
our collective memory, to reverberations of earlier struggles
against oppression, this edifice encapsulates the yearning for power and liberation.

My dossier delves into the significance of the Palace as a
living testament to Sudan’s relentless quest for autonomy.
Combing through imperial and grassroots archives, I intend to construct a digital, three-dimensional palimpsest that serves as both forensic implications of the palace’s subjectivity in Sudanese memory and conservation of architectural heritage. Beyond mere documentation, the artifacts seek to interrogate photography’s role in the complexities of historical representation, as layers of the ceremonial, domestic, and political interweave into a visual narrative. Images, often overlooked as evidence(s) of imperial propaganda and activity, refl ect and refract power dynamics ingrained within our socio-political fabric. The palace serves, not only as a backdrop to the political landscape but a register of how, where, and when power shifts. Collapsing the past, the palace serves as a reminder of the collective struggles endured and the victories yet to be won.

Interview on KoozArch with Valerio Franzone


ADVANCED VI | SPRING 2024
INSTRUCTION:
PAULO TAVARES, SABA ARDESHIRI, MAX GOLDNER