Exhibition showcasing Jordanian, indigenous Australian artwork opens in Amman

AMMAN — An exhibition showcasing contemporary indigenous Australian artwork and pieces from the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts’ collection opened on Sunday in Amman.

Titled, “A Sense of Place”, the exhibition was opened under the patronage of HRH Princess Fakhrelnissa Raad at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts with the cooperation of the Japinkga Gallery of Australia, Jacaranda Images of Jordan and the Australian embassy in Amman, according to an embassy statement.

The common theme among the artworks in the exhibition is a strong sense of belonging to a land and a place, and the exhibition highlights the  similarities, but also the differences between the indigenous Australian  and the Jordanian artworks, the statement said. 

Australian Ambassador to Jordan Miles Armitage pointed out in his opening speech that the topic of the desert and the search for water was a recurring theme shared by the artworks.

During the ceremony, the ambassador also announced the donation of two indigenous Australian artworks from the Japingka Gallery to the permanent collection of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.

The opening marks the beginning of the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week 2019, the statement read, adding that, each July, NAIDOC celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

The exhibition will be open to the public at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts until the July 30 with free admission, the statement said.