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Wadi Finan Art Gallery seeks to foster artists and communities
By Huda Dabeet, Jordan News
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AMMAN — In the old alleys of Jabal Amman is a place
that houses the work of both Jordanian and Arab artists.
"Wadi Finan aims to promote and raise awareness about local and regional artists," Suha Lallas, owner and director at Wadi Finan Art Gallery, said in an interview with Jordan News.اضافة اعلان
Lallas studied art, worked in art, and taught art for many years. She eventually became an IB (international baccalaureate) examiner, and her career path eventually led her to open Wadi Finan Art Gallery. “It has been my passion since I was a child, and the passion grew to create this gallery,” she said.
“We hold either group exhibitions, our own collection exhibitions, or we do solo exhibitions,” she explained, adding that the gallery is sometimes approached by an artist if they feel that Wadi Finan can promote their work, and sometimes the gallery itself approaches artists if their art is consistent with Wadi Finan’s strategy and concept.
Wadi Finan Art Gallery exhibits fine art, which includes sculptures made of stone, ceramics, and glass, in addition to paintings in all mediums. Lallas mentioned that artists use materials such as oil paint, ink, and collage.
“It is endless; some artists use fabric, mixed media, or whatever can be added on the surface.”
“Before corona, we used to do six to nine solo exhibitions per year, while the rest of the months were for either group exhibitions or our seasonal exhibition, such as the collective artwork exhibition from different artists that we do in the summer,” said Lallas.
She added that “group exhibitions are thematic, and are either about Jordanian cities, people, or portraits, depending on the topic.”
“We like to promote emerging artists, but we also have pioneer artists that are already established and well-known. We started with many artists and grew with them,” she said.
“With more experience and research, the artist keeps growing, and we look into that, we promote the growth of the artist’s career and encourage it.”
In 2019, Wadi Finan Art Gallery exhibited a solo exhibition, “Opaque transparency,” by HRH Princess Wijdan, in addition to participating in art fairs both in Jordan, such as Sunny Art Fair, and outside Jordan, such as London Global Art Fair, Beirut Art Fair, and Dubai Art.
“We promoted art for the young and upcoming artists during Souq Jara; we always had an area where people can come and interact with the artists who used to paint in front of people,” said Lallas.
In 2020, Wadi Finan Art Gallery launched the “Stay Home” competition, upholding the importance of arts and culture in the life of every individual, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
The gallery received over 200 requests to participate, and there were four winners.
This competition sought to support creative ideas and transform artistic creations into an opportunity to support the community. To that end, 70 percent of proceeds from sold artworks was donated to the national fund “Himmat Watan” to support families affected by the pandemic.
Lallas discussed the virtual exhibition that Wadi Finan Art Gallery organized during lockdowns. “People enjoyed it, and we got very good feedback,” she said.
For their next venture, Wadi Finan Art Gallery is planning a group exhibition titled “Hakaya”, to support artists who live in Gaza. The proceeds will go to the artists’ families, according to Lallas.
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"Wadi Finan aims to promote and raise awareness about local and regional artists," Suha Lallas, owner and director at Wadi Finan Art Gallery, said in an interview with Jordan News.
Lallas studied art, worked in art, and taught art for many years. She eventually became an IB (international baccalaureate) examiner, and her career path eventually led her to open Wadi Finan Art Gallery. “It has been my passion since I was a child, and the passion grew to create this gallery,” she said.
“We hold either group exhibitions, our own collection exhibitions, or we do solo exhibitions,” she explained, adding that the gallery is sometimes approached by an artist if they feel that Wadi Finan can promote their work, and sometimes the gallery itself approaches artists if their art is consistent with Wadi Finan’s strategy and concept.
Wadi Finan Art Gallery exhibits fine art, which includes sculptures made of stone, ceramics, and glass, in addition to paintings in all mediums. Lallas mentioned that artists use materials such as oil paint, ink, and collage.
“It is endless; some artists use fabric, mixed media, or whatever can be added on the surface.”
“Before corona, we used to do six to nine solo exhibitions per year, while the rest of the months were for either group exhibitions or our seasonal exhibition, such as the collective artwork exhibition from different artists that we do in the summer,” said Lallas.
She added that “group exhibitions are thematic, and are either about Jordanian cities, people, or portraits, depending on the topic.”
“We like to promote emerging artists, but we also have pioneer artists that are already established and well-known. We started with many artists and grew with them,” she said.
“With more experience and research, the artist keeps growing, and we look into that, we promote the growth of the artist’s career and encourage it.”
In 2019, Wadi Finan Art Gallery exhibited a solo exhibition, “Opaque transparency,” by HRH Princess Wijdan, in addition to participating in art fairs both in Jordan, such as Sunny Art Fair, and outside Jordan, such as London Global Art Fair, Beirut Art Fair, and Dubai Art.
“We promoted art for the young and upcoming artists during Souq Jara; we always had an area where people can come and interact with the artists who used to paint in front of people,” said Lallas.
In 2020, Wadi Finan Art Gallery launched the “Stay Home” competition, upholding the importance of arts and culture in the life of every individual, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
The gallery received over 200 requests to participate, and there were four winners.
This competition sought to support creative ideas and transform artistic creations into an opportunity to support the community. To that end, 70 percent of proceeds from sold artworks was donated to the national fund “Himmat Watan” to support families affected by the pandemic.
Lallas discussed the virtual exhibition that Wadi Finan Art Gallery organized during lockdowns. “People enjoyed it, and we got very good feedback,” she said.
For their next venture, Wadi Finan Art Gallery is planning a group exhibition titled “Hakaya”, to support artists who live in Gaza. The proceeds will go to the artists’ families, according to Lallas.
Read more trending stories
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