EIB Series - AYN Initiative - ForeSight Gallery
Written by: Suad Issawi - 2022

Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Haidar Mahmoud, the renowned poet and former Minister of Culture, the art exhibition of artist Sama Dudin will open on Tuesday, 22 February 2022, at Foresight32 Art Gallery. The exhibition, which is titled "Ayn," will run through 15 March 2022. 

Using black markers and water colors, artist Sama Dudin captures the theme of the "eye" in her paintings in an amazing manner, taking us on a journey to explore the treasures of the eye in Jordanian popular sayings, which are rich in depicting the symbolic and realistic states of the eye. Thus, the eye is seen as a vehicle of speech, a mirror of the soul, and the best means of human expression, especially since it reveals one's self and betrays one's innermost secrets. 

The eye has multiple descriptions, which reflect changes in the human soul, such as daring, loving, sad, joyous, and wandering. The eye, more than any other organ, has a special place in Arab popular heritage, whether in proverbs, stories, folk tales, or gossip. It is rich in symbolism in the popular memory, epitomizing greed, envy, and shame. Artist Sama, who is haunted by drawing eyes with a bandana, started by producing artistic pieces that are lighter in mood and more humorous in nature as part of the "eye" series, which embodies the eyes of society that are on the lookout and waiting for an opportunity to describe other people's conduct as shameful—a word that is deemed derogatory when it comes to females.

To underline the significance of artist Sama Dudin's works, we will borrow the statement of the great Russian poet Pushkin when he described the works of Gogol: "My God, he did not invent anything; he told the simple truth…" It is naïve to suggest that the works of artist Sama Dudin are just artistic games in the playing field of popular heritage, as many artists have done unconsciously.  She expresses a visual state of creativity lodged within her and employs decorative architecture, plants, and writings, alongside the eye, which is strewn all over her paintings in different forms and shapes. Thus, we see the eye flying with wings and also turning into an octopus that has a bee, a fish, and other animal shapes. Some of her works, which combine the visual with its linguistic sense and the aesthetic with its artistic symbolism, also include writings that carry a lot of meanings, such as "is there a problem here?" "how shameful!"  "so shameful!" "I am confused": Laughing, drawing, cutting, coloring, dancing, playing, teasing, awake, asleep, dreaming, flying, going wild, knocking, feeling sad, thinking, "what a loss!" "why haven't you cooked?" and "what a shame!"  

These statements, which people often repeat, are the launch pad to help the receiver understand the aesthetic dimension of the "eye" symbol.  What distinguishes the works of this exhibition, which include signs, decorations, and letters, is that they derive their power from heritage. A true creative person is one who adds new elements to visual knowledge, steering clear of consuming folk art and popular heritage, and creates worlds of his own. 

Artist Sama Dudin, who used the creative process as a source of inspiration and imagination, is searching for immortality in the memory of the receiver. She is trying to lay bare reality through the theme of the "eye." She is also trying here to recast her local culture by adding another visual accomplishment that is rooted in popular heritage. She wants to reproduce her culture in a new form that portrays the "eye" while overcoming the attitude of "shame" toward females, which is widespread in society. She is doing this based on a contemporary vision that enriches culture in its positive side in general.