November 22 2024
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Artist illustrates Jordan’s everyday people, gifts them their own portraits
By Tameem Alzyoud, Jordan News
last updated:
Jun 23,2021
Top: A video grab from artist Ahmad Al-Rimawi’s videos, showing his drawing of a man, and a photo of that man. Bottom: Jordanian artist and architecture student Ahmad Al-Rimawi. (Photos: Handouts from Ahmad Al-Rimawi)
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AMMAN — Unknowing
pedestrians on Jordan’s busy streets might receive an unexpected free gift: a
drawing from local artist Ahmad Al-Rimawi.
“I draw people in the streets and
public markets as a hobby,”
the architect and artist said in an interview with Jordan News.
Rimawi is drawn to
the unique but mundane scenes he sees on the street. “I wander the streets,
markets, and popular cafes to spot any distinctive faces and different poses,
then stand away from the person I want to draw and photograph them,” he
explained. Each of his drawings takes around fifteen to twenty minutes to
complete.
“The
drawings that I make are 100 percent free of charge,” he added. But there is a
unique element to his gifts: he videotapes the recipients’ delighted reactions,
alongside the drawing processing itself, and posts the videos online (with
their permission).
The
videos have brought the young artist over 160,000 followers on video-sharing
platform TikTok.
“The
reactions are positive when people see themselves in the drawings,” Rimawi
added. “And they are happy with these drawings because they are different and
unique. They take these drawings and send them to their children, grandchildren
in Jordan and outside Jordan.”
“Even
the drawings that I publish on social platforms remind Jordanians abroad of
their homeland,” he added.
“One
of the reactions that affected me the most was when I gave an old man his
drawing and told him about my work,” he recalled. “He was so moved that he cried and brought his children
to see the drawing. He told me that young people are an essential pillar and
their energy contributes to building the country and leading it towards
prosperity.”
The
artist’s creative passion started at a young age. “I discovered that I have a
talent when I was 8 years old in a drawing class, when the teacher asked for a [drawing],”
he recalled.
“I
chose to do something different and draw [HRH] Crown Prince [Hussein] and the
drawing was identical. The students and the teacher were surprised with the
drawing, my skill in holding the pen, and the great resemblance of the picture
to the drawing. The teacher encouraged my family to help me develop this talent
so that it could be used in the future.”
“My
family and friends encouraged me to cultivate this talent and to put my drawings
on social media platforms so people can see them,” he said.
Drawing
and painting are side hobbies for Rimawi, alongside his study of architecture.
But he does sell some of his works and display them in exhibitions.
“My
ambition is to work in exhibitions in various countries of the region and the world,
and draw all people from different cultures,” he said.
Despite
the enthused reactions from his subjects, Rimawi has found limited support for
artists in Jordan.
“We
artists suffer from lack of support from the official authorities,” he said,
although art can “reflect the identity and heritage of countries and their
people.” Despite art’s potential, due to lack of institutional support, “the
artists here rely mainly on their efforts to convey their message and display
their paintings on social media platforms.”
The student argued that if artists
received support, they could craft pieces that “reflect the image of Jordan
in the best way possible.”
But,
“unfortunately, the concerned authorities do not provide what the artists hope
for, and this negatively affects the level of visual art in Jordan and (encourages)
the migration of artists abroad.”
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