MY JORDAN JOURNAL STORIES OF ADVENTURE, CULTURE, AND FAITH IN JORDAN

Jordanian Female Artists You Need to Know

Jul 24, 2025 1:30:00 PM

Leen Hajjar

Jordan is home to an incredible community of female artists who create immensely unique pieces that reflect Jordanian culture, places, and identities.

From the Jordanian initiative, “Tales of Jordan,” which offers walking tours of graffiti and street art in the capital city of Amman, to “Amman Design Week,” an annual festival that showcases the creative talents of hundreds of Jordanian and regional artists, and the countless art galleries in the vibrant Jabal Amman neighborhood, Jordan boasts a diverse and thriving art scene.

JTBNA spoke with two Jordanian female artists who are leading Jordan’s art scene with their innovative and impactful work: Reem Mouasher and Lamia Fakhoury.

Reem Mouasher

Reem Mouasher is an artist and painter based in Amman, Jordan. Through textured brushwork, palette knife sweeps, and bursts of splatter and drip, her compositions capture the essence of place—sun-drenched hillsides, fleeting scents, distant conversations—with a dreamy, luminous energy. Her work combines the freedom of abstract expressionism with the mood of impressionist landscapes, evoking a sense of rootedness and a quiet, optimistic longing. Guided by deep cultural ties and ongoing self-directed exploration, Reem’s practice is as much about process as it is about presence. Each canvas is a space of emotional clarity, inviting viewers into a richly layered meditation on heritage, belonging, and beauty.

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Reem holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art and art history from the University of Notre Dame. She is a board member of LOYAC, Jordan, where she works to empower youth through programs that teach valuable skills and increase personal agency. Her work has been exhibited internationally and collected across the Middle East, Europe, and North America, including the ArteEast 21st Anniversary Auction / Artsy - New York and Bedayat / Etihad Gallery - Abu Dhabi.

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Photo courtesy: Reem Paints

Lamia Fakhoury

Lamia Fakhoury is a Jordanian self-taught sculptor with a hands-on approach to her work; she sees each one of her pieces from its inception through molding, casting, welding, patina work, and everything in between; every sculpture is a unique one-of-a-kind piece. After several successful careers as a documentarian, a coffee roaster,  and a legal arbitrator, Lamia made a life-changing decision to live life in “playing mode”, dedicating herself to pushing the bounds of her craft- she is the first sculptor in the region to cast life-sized hollow bronze sculptures. To achieve this feat, Lamia experimented tirelessly, collaborating closely with industrial foundries in Amman and their heavy-duty equipment. Her work is both playful and poignant, often exploring the way human bodies express emotion.

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Born in Jordan, Lamia taught herself to sculpt from a book in 2005 and became a full-time sculptor in 2017. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Boston College and a Master's in Law from the University of London. Lamia had her first group exhibition in 2018 and joined several exhibitions until her duo exhibition in 2021. She had her first solo exhibition in February 2023 in Jordan. Instead of reflecting her life experiences, Lamia makes art that makes her feel good and hopes it does the same for those who experience it. 

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Photo courtesy: Lamia Fakhoury

Q&A with the Artists

JTBNA: How would you describe Jordan’s art scene?

 Reem Mouasher (RM): In my opinion, Jordan has a rich, varied, and thriving art scene. Amman has a wealth of museums, galleries, art institutions, an impressive collection of street art, and hundreds of local artists to be discovered.

Lamia Fakhoury (LF): The local art scene is quite diverse, although it’s limited in the sculpture field. I think that maybe, in part, because there are limited available resources. For example, when students study bronze casting, it’s all in theory; they have no access to hands-on art foundries. 

 

JTBNA: What inspires your work?

RM: I’m inspired by the landscapes, people, and places of the Levant, most of all Jordan. I’m fortunate to have grown up in a family that has a deep appreciation and love for the land, and so I’ve had the privilege of exploring every part of this enchanting country from a very young age. Mountains, deserts, cities, archeological sites, wildlife reserves, and wildflower meadows are all part of my everyday consciousness, and the nostalgic attachment to this country appears often in my work.

 LF: When I started sculpting, my pieces largely reflected what I was feeling or going through at the time, which I think is common among artists. But then I made a conscious decision to sculpt pieces that reflect how I want to feel rather than what life brings. So, I sculpt playful sculptures that make me happy to look at, and hope they do the same to anyone experiencing them.  

 

JTBNA: How do your artworks reflect the Jordanian identity?

 RM: Jordan, its landscapes, cityscapes, and places are an essential part of my identity, and I feel that my work, often abstracted landscapes and memories from Jordan, reflects my love for the country and the sense of belonging I have toward it.

LF: I largely work in series, and although many of my themes could be viewed as universal, it is certainly influenced by our region and culture; one of my series was musicians playing Arabic instruments but done playfully.  


Leen Hajjar

Written by Leen Hajjar

Leen Hajjar, born and raised in Amman, is JTBNA's blog editor. A recent graduate from Villanova University with a master's degree in Communication, Leen focuses on media analysis, specifically mainstream media’s portrayal of Arabs and the Middle East. Her previous experience as a writer for Al Arabiya English, inspired stories that shed light on the diverse and positive attributes of the Arab world, aiming to provide a more comprehensive representation of the region and its people.


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