Ali Jabri
Artist
Biography
Born in Jerusalem in 1942, Ali Jabri was seen as one of the leading Arab artists of his time.
From a family of prominent Syrians in Aleppo, Jabri was sent as a young man to study abroad, first at Rugby School, England, then to train as an architect at Stanford University in California. He later returned to study English literature at Bristol University,England, where he graduated in 1970.
In 1977 he moved to Cairo where he began to work full-time as a professional artist. The drawings and sketch books included in Disorientation II were created during this important year when he both physically and intellectually journeyed back to the Arab world and began what would be a life-long fascination for, and investigation of, Arab culture, history and identity.
By 1978 Jabri had settled in Amman where he lived until his death in 2002. The richness of Arab culture and history inspired both Jabri’s art and his growing interest in the preservation of heritage sites and antiquities. He continued drawing and painting, while curating museum collections, participating in archaeological excavations, leading design and architecture projects at major antiquities sites, designing exhibitions and supervising other cultural heritage preservation projects. A large cache of previously unseen work, now conserved by the Ali Jabri Human Heritage Foundation in Amman, reflects the depth and diversity of his artistic oeuvre.
By 1978 Jabri had settled in Amman where he lived until his death in 2002. The richness of Arab culture and history inspired both Jabri’s art and his growing interest in the preservation of heritage sites and antiquities. He continued drawing and painting, while curating museum collections, participating in archaeological excavations, leading design and architecture projects at major antiquities sites, designing exhibitions and supervising other cultural heritage preservation projects. A large cache of previously unseen work, now conserved by the Ali Jabri Human Heritage Foundation in Amman, reflects the depth and diversity of his artistic oeuvre.
October 2010
Related Events
-
21.11.09 – 20.02.10
Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi
