This reading list focuses on Jordan. Although the modern art scene developed in Jordan slightly later than in Lebanon or Syria, the country hosts two important regional art institutions, the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts and Darat Al Funun. While the former has contributed greatly to the existing literature on the Jordanian artistic landscape, the latter has focused more on regional (i.e. Arab) art history. Generally speaking, there is not a great deal of existing scholarship on modern or contemporary art in Jordan, but luckily a few fantastic introductions on the topic by the pioneering Wijdan Ali, a practicing artist, art historian and the founder of the National Gallery, exist.

Ali, W. (1997). Modern Art in Jordan. The Royal Society of Fine Arts: Amman. 

In this pioneering work, Wijdan Ali chronicles the history of art in Jordan from the introduction of modern art to the country to the formative years (1950-1969) and the growing decades (1970-1995). Easy to read yet analytical, the book is a must for anyone wanting to comprehend the artistic landscape in Jordan. The book has a fantastic index of Jordanian artists accompanied with concise biographies and numerous images. 

Ali, W., & Khreis, K. (2013). 70 Years of Contemporary Art in Jordan. Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts: Amman. 

The exhibition catalogue of a 2013 blockbuster show on contemporary art in Jordan organised by the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts presents a continuation to the aforementioned groundbreaking art historical work. Despite its format of a catalogue, the book is wonderfully rich in text as well as images, situating both the National Gallery into the larger art historical landscape but also highlighting contemporary art practices in Jordan. 

Ali, W. (2005). Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. The Royal Society of Fine Arts: Amman.

This book focuses on Jordan’s only art museum, the fantastic Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. Although essentially presenting the history of the institution, the book is helpful for anyone wanting to comprehend art infrastructure in Jordan. Full of images, the book also introduces modern Arab art – category that forms the core of the institution’s wonderfully rich collection – as it explains the institution’s collecting focuses. 

Al-Asad, M. (1997). Old houses of Jordan. Amman 1920-1950. Amman: TURAB. 

A beautiful exploration into the architectural past of the Jordan capital, Old houses of Jordan is an essential reading for exploring the history of Amman. Ammar Khamash’s photographs of the city are mesmerising, inviting for a beautiful stroll around the city’s oldest neighbourhoods.  

Kaddoura, H., & Malkawi, S. (n.d.). Ontology of Amman: Soul and body. 

Beautiful images and a number of essays – discussing the character of Amman from a variety of perspectives.

You might also enjoy:

Reading List: Contemporary Arab Art

Reading List: Modern and Contemporary Art in Syria

Reading List: Modern and Contemporary Art in Turkey

Featured image: Mohanna Durra, ‘Dance and Movement’ (1971).