Deputizing for Her Royal Highness Princess Wijdan Al-Hashemi, the President of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, Princess Basma bint Ali graced the opening ceremony of two collective exhibitions at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. The exhibitions, featuring renowned Jordanian and Italian mosaic artists highlighted the captivating world of mosaic arts.
The first exhibition, titled “The Invisible Cities… Madaba and Ravenna,” mesmerized attendees with its enchanting artworks inspired by the theme. Running in parallel, the second exhibition, “With Mosaics… Contemporary Art in Ravenna,” showcased a diverse collection of 43 distinctive artworks in various sizes. Both exhibitions will be open to the public until August 14th.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presence of distinguished guests, including Minister of Culture Haifa Al-Najjar, Mayor of Madaba Aref Rawajeh, Deputy Mayor of Ravenna Annagiulia Randi, Director-General of the museum Khaled Khreis, Deputy Head of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy Fabio Rainieri, and several Italian officials. The event was also attended by talented Jordanian and Italian artists.
In his opening speech, Khreis highlighted the collaborative efforts between the Jordanian Italian Forum for Cooperation and the museum in organizing the exhibitions, announcing that the showcased artworks would later be transported to Ravenna for display as part of an upcoming biennial exhibition, providing an outstanding opportunity for Jordanian artists to gain recognition on an international platform.
Expressing her joy, Deputy Mayor Annagiulia Randi commended the hosting of these exhibitions in Jordan, emphasizing their potential to strengthen the cultural bonds between Italy and Jordan, united under the theme of peace.
During his address, Deputy Head Fabio Rainieri underscored the significance of artistic exhibitions in enhancing love, friendship, communication, and mutual understanding between Italy and Jordan. He expressed hope that this collaboration would expand to include other art forms, further enriching the cultural ties between the two countries.
Mayor Rawajeh conveyed his delight at hosting the exhibitions, acknowledging the longstanding close relationship between Jordan and Italy. He particularly highlighted Madaba’s role as the birthplace of the first mosaic school, founded in collaboration with Italian experts in 1992. The school has since produced numerous skilled artisans capable of creating exquisite mosaic artworks.
He further revealed the Municipality of Madaba’s efforts to establish a network for mosaic art across the Mediterranean and its plans to organize the “Mosaic Cities across the Mediterranean” conference in collaboration with Ravenna on October 21st.
Both exhibitions featured the immense creativity of mosaic artists, employing materials such as glass paste, enamel, coloring oxides, mortar, direct technique on cement, marble, stones, granite, solid curtain, multi-colored marble coated with plaster on a flexible base, nails, and wood.
This remarkable artistic event presents a valuable opportunity for the Jordanian public to immerse in the world of mosaic art, embracing both classical and contemporary techniques. By fostering cultural exchange and appreciation, these exhibitions strengthen the artistic ties between Jordan and Italy, promoting mutual understanding and friendship.
Source: Jordan News Agency