Draft:Aziz Amoura

Aziz Amoura (Arabic: عزيز عمورة) (Born 1944 - June 12th, 2018) was a Jordanian artist and educator. He is recognized for his involvement in the Jordanian Arts movement, and esteemed for his expertise in portraiture within the Arab world.

Early Life
Aziz Amoura was born in 1944 in the town of Al-Tira, Palestine. His interest in art began in his childhood in Mount Carmel, where he found joy in activities like making kites, drawing colorful maps, and sketching with charcoal from photographs. In one of his testimonies, Amoura reflected on the origins of his fascination with painting and color, tracing it back to his ability to discern aesthetic beauty in everyday elements. These included wall hangings that adorned his childhood home, Tatreez embroidered Quran cases, and the clothing his elder sisters wore.

His uncle, whom he visited every summer in Damascus, played a crucial role in nurturing his talent by teaching him how to draw. Inspired by his uncle's profession of drawing portraits for a living, Aziz started drawing pictures himself, earning five dinars for each piece. Impressed by Amoura's talent and fervor, his family backed his artistic endeavours and encouraged him to pursue a profession within the arts.

Education & Career
Amoura graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1970, where he trained with influential Iraqi painters like Faiq Hassan, Ismail al Sheikhli, and Hafidh al-Droubi. He was among a second group of artists sent by the Jordanian government to study at art academies in Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus, with the aim of cultivating a Jordanian modern art movement. He then went on a scholarship for his master’s degree to the Pratt Institute in the United States, graduating in 1983.

After returning to Jordan, Amoura worked as an art educator at Dirar bin Al-Azwar Secondary School in Amman from 1971 to 1974. He then transitioned to a position at the Institute of Fine arts from 1975 to 1979. In 1980, Yarmouk University in Irbid established its Fine Arts Department, the first institution in Jordan offering a degree in Fine Art, with established artists like Amoura and Ahmad Nawash (b. 1934) on its faculty. He taught there from 1983 to 1996, before moving to the School of Arts and Design at the University of Jordan, where he remained until 2003. A persistent teacher, Amoura remained devoted to training budding artists, continuing to mentor students of all ages at his personal studio until his passing.

Selected Works

 * “سمفونية” (Symphony), Chinese ink and lead on paper, 1976
 * “بؤس” (Misery), Oil on canvas, 1976
 * “امرأة فلاحة” (Peasant woman), Oil on canvas, 1978
 * “Sabra & Shatila (series of 6)”, Ink on paper, 1984
 * “أصداء من صبرا و شتيلا” (Echoes from Sabra and Shatila), Chinese ink on paper, 1984
 * “بعد المذبحة” (After the massacre), Chinese ink on paper, 1984
 * “مخطوطة” (Manuscript), Watercolor on paper, 1987
 * “تكوين” (Formation), Oil on canvas, 1987
 * “'رسائل ” (Study 2), Graphite on paper, 1989
 * “'رسائل تركيبية 7” (Synthetic letters 7), Oil on canvas, 1989
 * “تكوين خطي” (Linear Composition), Pastel on paper, 2000
 * “تكوين” (Composition), Watercolor on paper, 2002
 * “تكوين خطي” (Linear Composition), Watercolor on paper, 2003
 * “حنين” (Nostalgia), Watercolor on paper, 2005

Exhibitions
Since 1974, Amoura has presented numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide, spanning from Amman to New York, Kuwait, Cyprus, and Turkey. His work is featured in various permanent collections, which include the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Art, Hindiyeh Museum, and The Khalid Shoman Collection in Amman, Jordan.

One Man Exhibitions

 * The British Council, Amman, Jordan 1974.
 * The French Centre, Amman, Jordan 1977.
 * The British Council, Amman, Jordan 1979.
 * Higgins Hall, Pratt Institute, New York 1982.
 * Mr. Khalid Al-Khalidy House, Kuwait 1983.
 * Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman 1984.
 * Tore British Council, Amman, Jordan 1985.
 * Kuwait National Museum, 1988.
 * 35 Years of Art, Darat Funun, 2002.

Group Exhibitions

 * Kuwait Biennale, Kuwait 1973.
 * Jordanian Artists Exhibition, Goethe Institute, Amman, Jordan and Frankfurt, Germany 1975.
 * Arab Contemporary Art, Un Plaza, New York, U.S.A 1982.
 * Yarmouk University Exhibition, Al kindy Hall, lrbed, Jordan.
 * Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts Exhibition held at Ankara State Museum of Fine Arts, Turkey, 1983.
 * Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts Exhibition held at Istanbul State Museum of Fine Arts, Turkey, 1983.
 * Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts Exhibition held at Zacenta Gallery, Warsaw, 1984.
 * Kuwait Biennale, Kuwait 1985.
 * Jordan Contemporary Art, Exhibitions Hall, Peking, 1985.
 * Arab Contemporary Art. The Mall Galleries, London, England 1986.
 * Baghdad International Festival of Arts, Saddam Art Centre, Baghdad, Iraq 1986.
 * Jordan Contemporary Art, Luxembourg Museum, Paris, France 1986.
 * Eight Jordanian Artists, Darat Funun, 1988.
 * Journey through the Contemporary Arts of the Arab World, Darat Funun, 2000.
 * Arabic Calligraphy, Darat Funun, 2004-2005.
 * The Power of Words, Darat Funun, 2012-2013.
 * Rituals of Signs and Transitions (1975-1995), Darat Funun, 2015-2016.
 * Truth is black, write over it with a mirage’s light, Darat Funun, 2018-2019

Honours & Recognitions

 * Golden Sail prize, Kuwait biennial, 1985
 * The International Visiting Artist Grant - U.S.I.A, 1987
 * The State Appreciation Award, Jordan, 1992