Mona Saudi (Arabic: منى السعودي) (1 October 1945 – 16 February 2022) was a Jordanian sculptor, publisher, and art activist.

Life and career

Mona Saudi was born in Amman, Jordan.[2] Her mother was Syrian, while her paternal family had roots in Hejaz.[3] Saudi grew up in a neighbourhood that was metres away from the Nymphaeum (ancient Roman public baths). The proximity to a historic site gave her a profound respect for Jordan's ancient art heritage, as well as providing her with a source of inspiration for her sculptures.[4]

Saudi attended Zain Al-Ashraf School.[3] As a teenager, growing up in Amman, she knew that she wanted to move to Beirut, the then centre of the Arab arts scene, and become a full time artist. At the age of 17 years, she ran away from home, taking a taxi to Beirut.[4] In an interview with the Gulf News, she explained that she left home without her father's permission because in her family, women were banned from attending university.[5]

In Beirut, she met influential artists, poets and intellectuals, including Adonis, Paul Guiragossian and Michel Basbous, and became part of their social circle.[5] She held her first exhibition in a Beirut cafe, and from this raised sufficient funds to purchase a ticket to Paris.[5]

She enrolled at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and graduated in 1973.[6] In Paris, she began using stone as a medium for her sculpture and had been using it ever since.[5]

Saudi married Palestinian journalist Hasan (or Hassan) Batal in 1976. Their daughter Dia Batal (1978–2023) was a London-based visual artist.[3]

Saudi died on 16 February 2022, at the age of 76.[7]

Work

Saudi mainly sculpts in stone. She used stones from around the world to create her sculptures.[8] Outside of her country, Saudi was one of the best known Jordanian artists.[9] Her subject matter explored themes of growth and creation.

Select list of sculptures

  • Mother / Earth, 1965
  • In Time of War: Children Testify, 1970
  • Growth, Jordanian jade, c. 2002
  • The Seed, 2007

Selected solo exhibitions

  • Poetry and Form, Sharjah Art Museum, 2018[10]
  • Poetry in Stone, UAE, 2015
  • Al-Balkaa Art Gallery, Fuheis, Jordan, 1992
  • Gallery 50 x 70, Beirut, Lebanon, 1992
  • Al-Salmieh Gallery, Kuwait City, Kuwait, 1985
  • Alia Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan, 1983
  • Galerie Épreuve d'Artiste, Beirut, 1982
  • Galerie Elissar, Beirut, 1981
  • Galerie Contemporain, Beirut, 1975
  • Gallery One, Beirut, 1973
  • Galerie Vercamer, Paris, 1971

Selected group exhibitions

  • Forces of Change: Artists of the Arab World, 1994
  • The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC, 1994
  • Atelier Art Public, Paris, 1993
  • Jordanian Contemporary Art Ontario, Canada, 1991
  • Arab Contemporary Art, Paris, 1987
  • Arab Contemporary Art, London, 1983

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mona Saudi".
  2. ^ Krishna Kumar, N.P., "Mona Saudi’s Aesthetic Journey", Gulf News, 11 July 2018, Online:
  3. ^ a b c Pham, Naomi; Chalala, Eli. "Mona al-Saudi (1945-2022): The Sculptor Who Befriended Stone and Challenged Traditions". Al Jadid. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b Gronlund, M., "The Remarkable Career of Jordanian Artist, Mona Saudi," The National, 18 May 2018, Online:
  5. ^ a b c d Kalsi, J., "Mona Saudi Creates Poetry in Stone," Gulf News, 24 June 2015 Online:
  6. ^ "Mona Saudi". Arizona State University. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  7. ^ Badih, Samia (17 February 2022). "Jordanian artist and sculptor Mona Saudi dies at 76". The National News. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  8. ^ Volk, Katherine. "Poetry In Stone Mona Saudi". ArtAsiaPacific. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. ^ Teller 2002, p. 425.
  10. ^ Krishna Kumar, N.P., "Mona Saudi’s Aesthetic Journey," Gulf News, 11 July 2018, Online:

Bibliography

  • Teller, Matthew (2002). Jordan. Rough Guides. p. 425. ISBN 978-1-85828-740-9.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Saudi
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