I was very pleased when I picked up today’s issue of Al-Ghad Newspaper. The front page of their “Our Life” part was dedicated to an issue that has been pestering the Jordanian high art society for the past 3 years- the sculpture “Humans and History” for Syrian artist Rabee’ Al-Akhras that’s placed on the Seventh Circle.

The article says that this sculpture has been attacked by Jordanian artists and critics because of its location, formation, expression, symbolism, and the insubstantiality of the material used to create it as the sculpture is already falling apart. Al-Ghad interviewed several foremost Jordanian artists who shared their opinions.

Sculptor Keram Al-Nimri says, “This work is an insult to the taste and culture of the people of Amman, and it is offensive to both the city and the cultured”. Art critic Mazen Asfour agrees with Nimri stressing that this work lacks the necessary connection between space and place, the connection between motif and setting, and the proper forms of expression, and he added, “What sort of committee that has no knowledge of art aesthetics that decided on this sculpture?! As critics and artists, we were very surprised at this work and we ask Amman Municipality to discuss this issue so as to place people of specialization and experience to decide on art works displayed in public.”

The whole article is available here(Arabic).

Kudos to Al-Ghad for their excellent “Our Life” section and it’s ability to tackle cultural issues that Jordanian media usually overlooks.

Project due in three days and I can’t find my colors!
My room is a black hole, a BLACK HOLE I’m telling you. Place something in there and it is lost forever. Forever.

This ones for Rami.
Not the best of pictues, but I absolutely love this scene, which you can see quite often in Amman.
View from the National Gallery.

Get It Louder- visual noise made by young talented designers and artists around the globe. The exhibitions purpose tackles a topic that greatly interests me- to examine graphic arts and design as a lifestyle rather than a career and as an integral part of urban culture.

Several works by artists I’m not familiar with caught my eye, including those of Peng & Chen, Wang Yiyang, and Guang Yu There are also some works by Scott Rench, who’s stuff I fell in love with when I first saw them back in January.

The pictures are awesome… Complete visual overload in such a delicious way! I’d absolutely love to attend such an exhibition.

Having promised ourselves to do everything there is to do in Amman, the Sarahs and I decided to celebrate our day off by spenging the evening “relaxing” at Al-Pasha Turkish Bath in Jabal Amman.

Well, at least, I thought it’ll be “relaxing”, because it was the farthest thing from relaxing I’ve ever experienced in my life. Its just that, as far as I’m concerned, burning steam, a boiling jacuzzi and being massaged to death are no where near my idea of “relaxing”. Actually, this package works as well as the best sedatives around- it completely knocked me out. For someone like me, being knocked out is the ultimate hell, I love being awake, thank you very much. I honestly have no idea how I drove back home, and I have no idea what I did for the next several hours. The only thing I know is I WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN.

Seriously, I don’t see the point. The whole idea of laying off drinking and drugs is to stay alert, and a Turkish bath strips you off everything including your alertness. At least with the other two there’s a buzz involved, with a Turkish bath it’s as if you’re in a vegetal state. Alright, I guess some people consider that relaxing, but next time I feel like relaxing, I’m hitting a nice chilled pool.

I must give the place some credit though… It is, afterall, gorgeously designed. I absolutely love the arches, the stained glass, and the authentic Arabic feel to everything.