Written by: Ahmad El Amaireh

“Indeed, it is a pleasure that we are gathered with young creatives here today, to celebrate the talents of the Jordanian art scene and their role in the development of a better future”, prefaced Khaldoun Hijazin of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. On December 11th, 2021 a public panel discussion concluded a month-long art residency program titled Remote Closeness – The Other Normal. The program is realized as part of Factory’s Public Art Program by the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, the Goethe-Institut in Jordan and the Institut Français de Jordanie and funded by the Franco-German Cultural Fund.

The discussion panel was moderated by artist Raed Ibrahim, who began by underlining the necessity of nurturing Jordan’s art scene, which is usually overlooked by funding institutions and considered as an inferior practice pushed to the margins of national development efforts. “Jordan’s cultural scene is small and in desperate need of consistent assistance to stay afloat. Today’s activity is of special importance, as it promotes local talent, and provides a unique opportunity for artists to be supported and recognized” he added, before introducing each of the artists and their artwork to the audience.

The artworks presented by the 8 resident artists all fell under the general theme of “The Other Normal”, which challenges their ability to reimagine a new norm that offers free expression, redefine their role as art practitioners in the local scene, and explore their relationship with the city (Amman); their home. Encompassing a month-long research journey to construct their interpretations of the questions, the artists showcased remarkable talent in their ability to create artwork that is so personal, yet so universal, where the audience was continuously taken aback and captivated by different forms in which the artists expressed their inspirations.

“A group of villages under a trench coat acting as a city”, this is how Abed described Amman in his artwork; exploring the different perceptions of the city and its complex urban design, to which Rita’s audio prompts take you on a journey to discover, guiding you through different artistic endeavors. And through a series of video shots, Sima reflects on her personal attempt at understanding (and rejecting) the concept of linear time; shaken by the pandemic, while Laith examines the impact of globalization on the traditional Thob; reimagining pieces devoid of western touch.

Capturing a more personal touch, Grace opened up about her insecurities through delving into the influence of western academia on the local artist’s ability to express, while Hecham transported the audience through a visual journey of his sporadic walk through the heart of Amman, searching for a palm reader, and further examining the superstitious tradition and its history. Lastly, the more abstract projects with Salameh’s illustrative piece that features his own tweaks on nostalgic local and global trends that have sarcastic–yet cynical interpretations, and Laila’s portrayal of local artist experience absorbing inspirations and releasing them to reabsorb newer ones through a visual of a sponge.

Towards the end, the audience discussed with the artists the government’s stance on artistic expression and freedom, the relationship between the artists and their homeland, and how that affects their constantly-changing artistic identity, the importance of keeping up and learning about global trends that are feeding into the global contemporary art scene, such as sustainable social entrepreneurship, and its role in supporting new and emerging artists around the world, and finally the role of the medium they used in creating their art, where Abed expressed that his work dedicated the medium, in opposition to Hescham, who utilized technology to draw a furusturcit perspective into his artwork, and Grace, whose medium “showcases two worlds colliding through the physical realm”.

Throughout the program, there have been clear shifts in the initial premise of the residency, as where the artists were allowed to reinvent and reimagine the way they create art free of limitations. As the program stimulates the artist’s ability to visualize an alternate Jordanian reality where they are able to create with no limits, and encourages cultural institutions to think of new adaptations of how art is shared and exhibited, free of dictating artistic freedom.