AMMAN – Amman Design Week is quickly approaching and will turn Amman into an artistic wonderland. With dozens of events, workshops, tours and activities going on across the 9-day event, we complied all the information you need to carefully schedule your visit to the different districts. Here is what you shouldn’t miss:
Exhibitions
Tishreen by Mo Rousan
Jacaranda Images
October 5-12
6:00 pm
This exhibition is a celebration of our ancestral connection to the land, of our traditional embroidered “Toub” (dress), adorned with stitches reflecting the land, its vegetation, birds, and animals.
Against Monotony by Boutros Al Maari
Nabad Art Gallery
October 5-12
10:00 am
Syrian artist Boutros al-Maari exhibits a selection of works completed during the last two years. As usual, he does not work on one subject, but gives his brush and his ideas the freedom to choose, thus breaking the monotony and surprising us every time by combining the unusual with occasionally, the contradictory.
Chapters by Dodi Tabbaa
Wadi Finan Art Gallery
October 5-12
6:00 pm
Ongoing through September 30th
As the German painter said Otto Dix: “All art is exorcism. I paint dreams and visions too; the dreams and visions of my time. Painting is the effort to produce order; order in yourself. There is much chaos in me, much chaos in our time.” Each chapter is an emotion of Dodi Tabbaa’s personal journey, explained through with every artwork. They played an important role in the artist’s life over the past years. She hopes the viewers will be transmitted into her world and be engaged with thoughts.
Strawberries are Poisonous by Tina Omran
Dar Al Anda
October 6-12
6:00 pm
Tina Nader Omran is a young Jordanian artist that graduated from the American University of Cairo. Her father was a famous theater producer and aunt a Jordanian iconic actress. Her genuine artistic background is apparent in her unique style and her mature colors and different strokes.
Junctions – Phase II
The Lab – Darat Al Funun
October 6-12
6:00 pm
The Lab at Darat al Funun presents a program exploring migration, memory, belonging and the archaeology of place. Eschewing conventional narratives focused on multiculturalism and assimilation, the artists will reflect on the specifics of place and the relationship between the local and the global, bringing to light alternative histories, while also meditating on new forms of inhabitation and working towards commonly produced spaces and times.
Shells by Ayla Hibri
almamar
October 6-12
5:00 pm
This site-specific installation presents a multimedia collaboration between Abeer Seikaly and Ayla Hibri, exploring a collection of seashells accumulated by one of Amman’s residences over a period of 40 years.
Inspired by the collection’s varied complexities and nuances, new forms of representation will emerge through new experiential taxonomies exploring memory, nature, and transience.
Shapes of Water
The Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
October 4-12
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Triennale Design Museum presents a project on water. Water governance and its use have always been issues of planning interest. However, since water-to-drink is perceived as a limited resource, it has become more a matter of design – precious as a commodity – and a status of quality.
The Possibilities of Processing – Collective Exhibition
The Corner Art Space
October 6-12
This exhibition showcases the results of recycling workshops by Brazilian artist Lily Luz, as well as works by renowned Iraqi artist Waleed Qaisi, Laith Al Essi, Nut & Ptah, and Maha Gharaibeh.
Crafts
Alaydi Craft Center
October 5-8
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
This exhibition, in cooperation with TIRAZ: Widad Kawar Home for Arab Dress, showcases work done by Jordanian women who were trained to embroider the old traditional Jordanian stitches from the Ma’an area in an effort to revive and preserve this heritage. Taking inspiration from these traditions, the women also produced embroidery with modern ideas and designs including embroidery on dresses, bags, shawls, handbags, cushions, and abayas.
Petra National Trust
October 6-10
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bayt Yaish / PNT Cultural Hub serves as a hub for collaborative programs, projects, exhibitions, and educational initiatives. It provides a platform for smaller cultural projects, NGOs, students, researchers to coordinate efforts, and acts as a conduit for knowledge exchange and skill development with local and regional academics, experts and practitioners. It will become a space to enhance and spread awareness of cultural heritage, and to develop in understanding notions of identity and world heritage standards. It is a unique collection of policy, preservation, cultural and educational activities that will enrich and be enhanced by the culturally vibrant neighborhood of Jabal Al Lweibdeh.
Discover Wild Crafts
Wild Jordan Center
October 5
9:00 am – 9:00 pm
On Wild Jordan’s open day for crafts, stop by to meet Anwar, from the biscuit house, who will be baking live, Nihal who will be sharing stories about the products, and Firyal, from the calligraphy house, who will have an Arabic writing session.
Turquoise Mountain Showroom
October 4-5, 11-12
12:00 pm – 10 pm
The Turquoise Mountain showroom celebrates handmade products from Jordan. The collection includes a wide range of products developed in collaboration with master artisans and inspired from local and regional cultural heritage. The finished pieces are testament to the rich heritage of the region, as well as to the innovation of modern-day craftsmen and women.
WORKSHOP:
Print and Pomegranates facilitated by Basbous
The Kabariti Village
October 11
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Stemming from a deep interest in process and the handmade, we are on a journey to investigate the wide world of printmaking. We would like to invite participants to join us on an exploration of printing methods used to create a spectrum of products. How does a lino-cut look on cotton? What are the engraving tools and techniques used to carve wood? How does silkscreen work and how are these methods different in color and result? Through this workshop, we will attempt to collaboratively answer these questions in an intimate and interactive setting. Utilizing illustration and playing with lines, textures, and fabrics, participants will be introduced to the basics of printmaking and given the space to experiment with materials using a non-formal process.
WORKSHOP:
The Art of Mosaics for Children facilitated by Yacoub Behbehani
Duke’s Mosaic Centre
October 6-12
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Participants are invited to join a mosaic workshop with an expert in the craft to create their own artwork. This workshop is open to participants with special needs.
Crafts by Bunayat
Bunayat Centre for Special Education
October 6 – 12
8:00 am – 2:00 pm
This exhibition showcases the handicrafts done by special needs students at the Bunayat Centre, such as ceramics, mosaics, carpentry, and weaving.
Jordan Script Route
The Kabariti Village
October 4-12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
WORKSHOP:
Textile Innovation Lab II: Coiling with Esna Su
The Kabariti Village
October 9
12:00 am – 13:00 pm
Textile Innovation Lab III: Weaving with Esna Su
The Kabariti Village
October 10
12:00 am – 13:00 pm
Textile Innovation Lab IV: Knitting with Esna Su
The Kabariti Village
October 11
12:00 am – 13:00 pm
Graphic Design
Bananatopia 2018 by Farida Khaled
The Hangar Exhibition
October 6 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
The initial idea of Bananatopia is to map the city of Cairo through the lens of segregation and social differences. An item of everyday use, the banana, was chosen as a medium to map this issue by surveying its different varieties and prices in Cairo’s main neighborhoods. This change in price and type reveals the huge differences between the districts in Cairo.
Comics at the Hangar Exhibition:
The Hangar Exhibition
October 6 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Participating publications:
Sameer (Egypt, 1956), Mickey Jaib / Mickey Magazine (Egypt 1959), Little Lulu (Lebanon, 1966), Tintin Magazine (Egypt, 1971), Grendizer (Lebanon, 1975), Antar (Lebanon, 1977), Besat El Reeh (Lebanon, 1978), Majid Magazine (UAE, 1979), Tarazan (Lebanon, 1980), Superman/Batman (Lebanon, 1980), The 99 (Kuwait, 2006), Aranim Media Factory (Jordan, 2006), Malaak Angel of Peace (Lebanon, 2006), Metro (Egypt, 2008), Jam and Yoghurt (Lebanon, 2011), Grey Is (Jordan, 2011), The Arab of the Future (Syria/France, 2015), Madina Moujawira lil Ard / A City Close to Earth (Lebanon, 2016).
Amman Design Week 2019’s Hangar Exhibition presents a brief and non-comprehensive survey of the history of comics in the Arab World as well as an insight into comic collectives that have emerged in recent years from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco. The comic collectives take their inspiration from as far as Tintin in Belgium and Grendizer in Japan, yet the issues that are addressed remain relevant and rooted in local narratives.
Graphic Design at the Student Exhibition:
Roman Civilizationa in Umm Qais by Hala Wedyan
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Design and Visual Communication graduate Hala Wedyan is challenging the typical style of exhibiting historical data by creating an interactive experience about the Roman Civilization in “Umm-Qais.”
Narratives and Faces from “Al Ard Ya Salma” by Radwan Beshr
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Graphic design student Radwan Beshr, holding a diploma in Multimedia from SAE, is reimagining the covers of nine short stories from the book “al-Ard ya Salma” by the Yemeni author Mohammad Abdul-Wali.
Makhtoum by Basem Tash
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Basem is a design and digital art enthusiast. He is creating a brand titled “Makhtoum” using old postage stamps from the Levant to reflect upon the past by reintroducing it in the present.
Welwitschia by Dina Tha’er
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Dina is a graphic design student exploring the possibility of designing jewelry and silverwork based on the geometric shapes of Kufic calligraphy script.
Dhad by Hanin Bayomi and Mohammed Arafeh
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Hanin and Mohammad both hold diplomas in Arabic calligraphy from the Ministry of Culture. Their installation showcases the power of the Arabic language combined with their personal calligraphic style.
Six Dots by Salma Alhaj Mohammed
October 4 – 12
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
From her animation and multimedia background, Salma developed her curiosity and interest in the typography of the Braille language in Arabic, reflecting her research on a series of postcards to explain and popularize her idea.
Of Letters & Coins
October 4 – 12
The Kabariti Village – Jordan Script Route
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
In this installation, Hussein Alazaat takes us on a journey into Jordan’s history, depicting the various scripts of Jordan on oversized coins (real and imaginary).
The Beautiful Books Trove
October 4 – 12
Elharf House
ElHarf House is opening ‘The Beautiful Books Trove’ during Amman Design Week, a special archive of prominent book titles in art, design, children’s literature, and rare publications. The name was inspired by the iconic bookmaker and artist Mohieddine el-Labbad, who used it as the name of his weekly article in Majed Magazine for children in the 80s.
Music
Live Music on Amman Design Week Stage
Al Hussein Cultural Center, Ras El Ain
Ghaem Jozi
4 October, 8 – 10 pm
Designer DJ – Atlas / Youset
5 October, 8 – 10 pm
Atef Malhas
6 October, 8 – 10 pm
Mijwiz Ahmad Alsilawi
7 October, 8 – 10 pm
Jazz Trio
8 October, 8 – 10 pm
Two Guitars
9 October, 8 – 10 pm
Two Guitars
10 October, 8 – 10 pm
The Waltz and Polka Duo
11 October, 8 – 10 pm
Designer DJ – Slippery Johnson / Seeryas Guy
12 October, 8 – 10 pm
Live Music at the Crafts District Stage
The Kabariti Village
Yazan Sabbagh and the Band
4 October, 8 – 10 pm
Balconies Music – Tajalla
5 October, 7 – 9 pm
Yazan Sabbagh and the Band
6 October, 8 – 10 pm
Muhannad Al-Khatib
7 October, 8 – 10 pm
Yazan Sabbagh and the Band
8 October, 8 – 10 pm
Oriental Music Evening – Othman Kinani
9 October, 8 – 10 pm
Muhannad Al-Khatib
10 October, 8 – 10 pm
Yazan Sabbagh and the Band
11 October, 8 – 10 pm
Yazan Sabbagh and the Band
12 October, 8 – 10 pm
Violin, Abdel Hadi Jafar
6 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Oud, Yazan Sabbagh
7 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Oud, Yazan Sabbagh
8 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Qanun, Othman Kinani
9 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Accordion, Batir Abaza
10 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Drums, Bashar Khries
11 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Accordion, Batir Abaza
12 October, 6 – 7:30 pm
Food
Freedom Machine 2019 by MEEZAN
Future Food/Future City – Ras El Ain
4 – 12 October
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
The Freedom Machine is a self-sustaining renewable energy and urban food production unit, installed in the urban landscape around the region. The Freedom Machine was developed in 2012 by MEEZAN to meet the growing challenges of urban living. It combines water harvesting and saving systems, local organic food production, renewable energy production, and eco-building technologies. During Amman Design Week, Freedom Machine will be growing food on the top floor, and Yanboot will be serving it on the ground floor.
Bayouda Farming Collective
Serving jams, olive, olive oil, pickled food, non-sugared cookies, healthy non-sugared muffins, herbs, wild plants and recipes, Jordanian traditional food catering, hand crafts, smart bag box, up-cycled materials, diaries, flavoured labaneh.
Future Food/Future City – Ras El Ain
4 – 12 October
10:00 am – 10:00 pm
The Bayouda Farming Collective has established itself as a role model for self-sufficient and sustainable development, and is an excellent example of how a small community can create change in food production and agricultural practices. Visit the collective’s kiosk and sample local and organic jams, cheeses, and traditional cuisine.
Talks about Food:
Amman Design Week Stage – Al Hussein Cultural Center, Ras El Ain:
(talk details below)
Ahl El Thara: Eating our History by Vivien Sansour
Urban Artisans and Nomads: The Mistaka Story bu Nisreen Haram
Sharek Bitbarek, fighting food waste in Jordan by elarco, Sandra Sarkissian, and Goretti Arnaste
Palestine Hosting Society: a collective in the making by Palestine Hosting Society
Talks
Constructing Cultural Identity by Square One Lab
Amman Design Week Stage at Ras El Ain
5 October
6:30 – 7:00 pm
Mapping Intimacies in Times of Conflicts by Foundland Collective
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
5 October
7:00 – 7:30 pm
Minor Paradises by Civil Architecture x studiolibani
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
5 October
7:30 – 8:00 pm
Jordan Script Routes: Connecting archeology to Contemporary Design panel
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
6 October
6:30 – 7:30 pm
What is Hirfa? by Arini
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
6 October
7:30 – 8:30 pm
Conversations around Possibilities moderated by Noura Al Sayeh-Holtrop
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
7 October
6:30 – 7:00 pm
Festival Branding, A Million Possibilities by abnodesigns
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
7 October
7:30 – 8:00 pm
Changemakers and Innovators by ONExUNICEF
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
8 October
6:30 – 7:00 pm
The Journey by Esna Su
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
8 October
7:00 – 8:00 pm
Urban Agriculture in Jordan: Opportunities, Challenges, and Accomplishments Panel
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
9 October
6:30 – 7:30 pm
Ahl El Thara: Eating our History by Vivien Sansour
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
10 October
6:30 – 7: 00 pm
Urban Artisans and Nomads: The Mistaka Story by Nisreen Haram
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
10 October
7:00 – 7:30 pm
Sharek Bitbarek, fighting food waste in Jordan panel
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
10 October
7:30 – 8:00 pm
Palestine Hosting Society: a collective in the making by Palestine Hosting Society
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
11 October
6:30 – 7:30
Hekayat: How we did it our way by Tasmeem Doha 2019 Co-Chairs
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
11 October
7:30 – 8:00 pm
Imagining Creative Start-ups by Fabian Winopal and takween
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
12 October
6:30 – 7:15 pm
Imagining Incubators for Designers panel
Amman Design Week Stage Ras El Ain
12 October
7:15 – 8:00 pm
