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Jordanian artist’s unique style sets her apart
By Tameem Alzyoud, Jordan News
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AMMAN
— While some may consider her style “unusual”, Nour Taher’s education in the arts was pretty straightforward, but it led to her exploring people’s “raw emotional state” in her artwork. اضافة اعلان
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"I started making art at a very young age, and I've always shown an interest in it and explored a lot of mediums," Taher told Jordan News in an interview.
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"Growing up, I learned sculpting, pottery, painting, and drawing. I then majored in Fine Arts at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) and specialized in painting and drawing."
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
When she was a child, her parents would enter her into art competitions and encourage her to pursue the profession. "To this day, my parents and my husband always give me the confidence and the space that I need to make art. … even though some consider my style ‘unusual’," she said.
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"My work is mostly inspired by my emotions and those people in my life. I like to paint portraits. A lot of the paintings I've done are self-portraits. I like to paint my raw emotional state or (the state of) others that I choose to represent in the artwork."
Her last collection depicts figures sitting on a couch or a chair, smoking and having coffee.
The scenes and settings are used to create a kind of narrative for the audience, Taher said.
“I think that when the viewer sees the body language, studies the surroundings of the subject and all the elements in the artwork; it creates a stronger connection and understanding of the piece,” she added.
Taher has also collaborated with designers on jewelry and with another local company on hand-painted flower pots. Some of her other projects include painting jackets, leather bags, and repurposing glass bottles by painting them and turning them into flower vases.
In the future, Taher said that she hopes to look back and see herself as an artist who made an impact on the art scene in the Middle East.
“I think, in our region, there are fantastic talents with huge potentials. Art in our region has been changing and evolving over the years, and I want to be a part of that change,” she said.
"Artists in Jordan and the Middle East, in general, could use more opportunities and support from the government,” Taher said, adding that governments could help by providing opportunities for grants, residency programs, open calls for projects, and funding more public art around Jordan.
Taher also thinks that art should be more accessible to everyone in Jordan, and that one of the most important steps to achieving that would be to incorporate “a proper art educational program into public and private schools."
“Some changes and developments are evident in the art scene in Jordan. I think the public's engagement with art is slowly taking shape,” she said. “In the future, I hope to see more opportunities for artists, more acknowledgment, and finally, more acceptance.
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Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"I started making art at a very young age, and I've always shown an interest in it and explored a lot of mediums," Taher told Jordan News in an interview.
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"Growing up, I learned sculpting, pottery, painting, and drawing. I then majored in Fine Arts at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) and specialized in painting and drawing."
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
When she was a child, her parents would enter her into art competitions and encourage her to pursue the profession. "To this day, my parents and my husband always give me the confidence and the space that I need to make art. … even though some consider my style ‘unusual’," she said.
Artist Nour Taher and her work can be seen in these undated photos. (Photos: Handouts from Nour Taher)
"My work is mostly inspired by my emotions and those people in my life. I like to paint portraits. A lot of the paintings I've done are self-portraits. I like to paint my raw emotional state or (the state of) others that I choose to represent in the artwork."
Her last collection depicts figures sitting on a couch or a chair, smoking and having coffee.
The scenes and settings are used to create a kind of narrative for the audience, Taher said.
“I think that when the viewer sees the body language, studies the surroundings of the subject and all the elements in the artwork; it creates a stronger connection and understanding of the piece,” she added.
Taher has also collaborated with designers on jewelry and with another local company on hand-painted flower pots. Some of her other projects include painting jackets, leather bags, and repurposing glass bottles by painting them and turning them into flower vases.
In the future, Taher said that she hopes to look back and see herself as an artist who made an impact on the art scene in the Middle East.
“I think, in our region, there are fantastic talents with huge potentials. Art in our region has been changing and evolving over the years, and I want to be a part of that change,” she said.
"Artists in Jordan and the Middle East, in general, could use more opportunities and support from the government,” Taher said, adding that governments could help by providing opportunities for grants, residency programs, open calls for projects, and funding more public art around Jordan.
Taher also thinks that art should be more accessible to everyone in Jordan, and that one of the most important steps to achieving that would be to incorporate “a proper art educational program into public and private schools."
“Some changes and developments are evident in the art scene in Jordan. I think the public's engagement with art is slowly taking shape,” she said. “In the future, I hope to see more opportunities for artists, more acknowledgment, and finally, more acceptance.
Read more Trending
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