AbdulAmeer Alwan

In a Few Words

Born: 1938, Amman, Jordan

Died: 2021, Amman, Jordan

Background: A pioneering Jordanian painter of Lebanese descent, formally trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, who played a crucial role in developing Jordan's modern art scene.

Style & Media: Durra was known for his Cubist and abstract works, using oil and watercolor to explore dynamic compositions, light, and movement.

Themes: Durra’s art often depicted Bedouins and local Jordanians, blending traditional subjects with modernist techniques to capture cultural identity and expression.

In a Few More Words

Muhanna Durra (1938 – 24 January 2021) was a pioneering Jordanian painter, celebrated for introducing Cubism and abstract art to the Jordanian visual arts community.

Born in Amman to a Jordanian father and a Lebanese mother, Durra's early fascination with the unseen and imaginative was influenced by the folklore surrounding his childhood neighborhood near the Roman amphitheater. His artistic journey began under the mentorship of Russian artist George Aleef, who instilled in him the fundamentals of watercolor, drawing, and European perspective techniques. Further exposure to the Dutch school through artist William Hallowin deepened Durra's appreciation for the interplay of light and form. In 1954, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, becoming the first Jordanian to receive formal art education there, and graduated in 1958.

Upon returning to Jordan, Durra dedicated himself to nurturing the local art scene. He taught art history at the Teachers' Training College and, in 1964, established the Fine Arts Section at the Department of Culture and Art in Amman. His commitment to art education culminated in the founding of the Jordan Institute of Fine Arts in 1970. Durra's influence extended beyond academia; his portraits, particularly of Bedouins and local Jordanians, captured the essence of his subjects with shifting masses of color and dynamic compositions. His abstract works, characterized by explorations of light and movement, further solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in Jordanian art.

Key Exhibitions & Auctions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Muhanna Forever: Pioneer of Modern Art in Jordan, Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman, Jordan (2000)

Solo Exhibition, Lines Gallery, Amman, Jordan (2006)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Venice Biennale, Palazzo Venezia, Venice, Italy (1998)

"Taking Shape: Abstraction from the Arab World, 1950s–1980s", The Block Museum, Chicago, USA (2022)

View Available Artworks