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Jumana El Husseini was born in 1932 in Jerusalem. Her parents, Jamal El Husseini, and Nimati El Alami; both from prominent Palestinian families.
As a child, Jumana was a student at the Ramallah Friends Girls School near Jerusalem. Forced to leave Palestine in 1947, the family settled in Lebanon. Since her early age, El Husseini was art oriented. During the 1950’s she studied painting, ceramics, and sculpture while majoring in political science at the Beirut College for Women and then at the American University of Beirut. She also studied fine arts in Paris and had her first exhibition there in 1965. El-Husseini has since had a number of solo exhibitions in most Arab countries, especially in Jordan, as well as in Japan and Italy, in addition to her native city Jerusalem.
Noted for figurative paintings of Palestinian women and geometric houses in Jerusalem and Jericho, her style evolved from realistic to geometric and, since 1987 to abstract, with wavelike overpainted drawing evoking Arabic calligraphy. Since that year, her work has undergone a major shift: from being figurative and light, to abstract and dark. Her fanciful, stylized scenes of people and cities are now replaced by the reflective images of a search for rebirth. The paintings are constructed of diffused geometrical shapes floating in well-defined spaces. Articulating those shapes are calligraphic areas that shed both physical and spiritual light on this darkness. They are reminiscent of Middle Eastern cities at night. With their shimmering translucency, they become symbols of hope.
The paintings are sober in color. Texture is used to highlight a strong contrast or to subdue a powerful form. The change of Jumana’s art is the transformation from the joy of remembrance to the realization and assessment of a current situation.
Jumana learned the art of sculpture during the 1950´s when she was at the Beirut College for Women. She started on blocks of stone, then on hard rose wood. All her sculptures are created by carving (Hammer and chisel). The stone artwork is often associated with small hand cut mirrors, and the wood with gold leaf layers. Recently, Jumana has worked on small to medium size rocks from the Dead Sea. Using mixed media she transforms each object to a piece of art.
Early on, Jumana took part in exhibitions at the Museum of Sursok in Beirut (1960, 64, 67),the “Open Air Exhibition” of the American University of Beirut (1963), The BienNiali events of Alexandria (1969), Kuwait (1973), Baghdad (1974) and Venice (1979), The tourng Exhibition of the Smithsonian Institute of Washington (1971 to 73), and many collective events: in London (1965), Tokyo (1978), Geneva(1979), The Museum of Eastern Art in Moscow (1980), The National Museum in Madrid (1980), The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (1980), London (1985) and Geneva (1986), The Messe Exhibition Center in Vienna, The Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo (1988), The Barbican Centre in London (1989) and many others.
In 1991, she studied stained glass art at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris France (School of Fine Arts).
Jumana´s work
Individual Exhibitions
1965 Woodstock Gallery, London – U. K.
1968 German Cultural Center, Beirut – Lebanon German Cultural Center, Tripoli – Lebanon
1970 American University, Beirut – Lebanon
1971 Bonn University, Stuttgart University, Staeaedtische Gallery, Imlanbachhaus, Munchen, Germany
1973 Delta Gallery, Rome – Italy Gallery des Antiquaires, Beirut – Lebanon
1979 Dome of Jeddah, Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
1981 Redec Gallery, Jeddah – Saudi Arabia
1984 Arab Heritage Gallery, Dhahran – Saudi Arabia
1987 Tour Exhibition in the United States
Arab Cultural Center, San Francisco – USA
Santa Theresa Library, San Jose – USA
Association of Arab Diplomats, American University, Washington DC – USA
Dag Hammershold Gallery, N.Y. – USA
Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek – USA
Tour Exhibition in Canada
Victoria College University, Toronto – Canada
Algonquin College, Ottawa – Canada
1989 Soviet Friendship Center, Moscow – Russia
Addison Ripley Gallery, Washington DC – USA
Georgetown University, Washington DC – USA
1990 Gallery Etienne Dinet, Paris – France
1991 Argile Gallery, London, U. K.
Shouman Institute, Amman – Jordan
1993 Anadil Gallery, Jerusalem
2002 Darat Al Funun, Amman – Jordan
Al Maamal Gallery, Jerusalem – Palestine
Kattan Center, Ramallah – Palestine
2004 Galerie Joëlle Mortier Valat, Paris – France
Further readings:
– http://iamfrompalestine.com/
– http://jumanaelhusseini.com
Sources:
-http://jumanaelhusseini.com/
-http://www.palestine-family.net
May Khoury is a Palestinian collector of antiques and designer. She was born in 1940 in Ramallah, Palestine. 
She studied at the Friends Girls School and went to Bir Zeit University. She has been living in Amman, Jordan since 1974until now. She is considered a cultural conservationist- for over 16 years, her creations have earned a deserve status as a Traditional Handicraft Designer. She believes she has a mission to help preserve the traditional facets of Arabian crafting skills, from fading away.
May became a worldwide promoter of Arabian heritage, transforming its aged beauty with new furniture and clothing designs to adorn the modern-day home.
Her fresh approach to redesigning folkloric pieces has gained popularity with younger and older generations alike. The recycling process of breathing new life into older pieces has become her trademark in producing desirable, artistic, and functional creations.
Her creations were introduced to Arab and European countries, as part of the Mediterranean handicraft promotion. With her work she expresses her own vision on heritage preservation, through the holding of several fashion shows abroad and in Jordan where she lives.
She is a member of the International Women Forum, Jordan Branch, of the Jordanian Forum for Business & Professional Women, networking to enhance, develop and empower business women in Jordan, of the world Crafts Council, and member of Alhoush Network which is the premier cultural networking and e-commerce portal to contemporary art and design from the Arab world.
She is the Founder & Designer: Badr Adduja Arts & Crafts. Badr Adduja Brand is the signature of novel crafts, handmade with traditional authenticity and the personal creativity of its founding designer, May Khoury. Inaugurated in 1999 by HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein, Badr Addujafast grew to become a symbol of designing and producing the ultimate in beauty as the name suggests; in Arabic, Badr Adduja means the full moon at night.
Badr Adduja has played an essential role in giving back to the community, where it has employed and cultivated the talents of over 30 artisans, granting them a stable income while sustaining their traditional craftsmanship skills. Together with May Khoury, the growing family of Badr Adduja continues to preserve Arabian folklore and bring its heritage to life.
From eccentric furniture pieces and accessories, to rich textiles and even one-off clothing items, some of Badr Adduja’s creations have made it to the homes of prominent people and private VIP lounges, as well as renowned museums and hotels around the world.
Awards
-Winner of both Gold & Silver A Design Awards 2013-2014 in the category of Arts & Crafts.
-Winner of the Silver A Design Award 2012-2013 in the category Arts & Crafts -Nominated for Prime Designer of the year 2013 by a member of the International Designers Association.
-Won the 2nd Laureate of the UNESCO crafts prize for the Arab states, held in Algeria in 2002, for the design of a unique wooden chair, carved and decorated with Traditional Palestinian intricate embroidery and motifs.
Private Exhibition
-9th – 31st July 2000 at Badr Ad-duja arts& crafts Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania AL-Abdullah (Wooden Rhymes)
-Exhibition 14th March 2002at Badr Ad-duja arts & crafts Under the patronage of H.R.H. Princess Muna AL- Hussein (Authentic Textile In Style)
-Exhibition December9th 2007at Badr Adduja gallery An exhibition of Jordanian home furnishings & Accessories (Creations defining a nation )
-November 24th 2008 At Badr Adduja, under the Patronage of her Excellency Minister of Culture Nancy Bakir (Creative Melodies of Oriental Legacies) Exhibition
Mixed Exhibitions
– Dubai: March 12-17, 2014 Beirut Art Fair 19-22nd Sept. 2013 Amman Art Week 5-16 September 2013 30th April
– 2nd May 2001 Abu Dhabi – UAE in The Jordan Festival Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan & H.R.H. Prince Feisal Bin Al – Hussien 5th
– 14th Nov. 2002 Paris – France First Salon of Euro med Craftswomen organized by “Women from Two Shores” at salon des pont neuf Paris, France. 25th Feb.
– 11th Mar. 2004 – France Exposition itinérante “ Empreintes et couleurs de Méditerranée” Organized by Project PRODECOM Chambre des Beaux Arts de Méditerrané At Unesco headquarters Paris, France .4th
– 11th Dec 2004 Amman Exhibition for designers of handicrafts from the Mediterranean at city hall, Amman municipality. 22nd Apr
– 1st May 2005 Florence/Italy An exhibition in the International Florence Fair in coordination with unesco.
– 28th June – 24th Sep. 2005 Paris Exhibition for Heritage Artisana & Design at gallery Viaduc des arts. Paris, France
Videos
This is Palestine – May Khoury
Sources:
http://competition.adesignaward.com
Further reading:
– Interview with May Khoury
http://competition.adesignaward.com/designer-interview.php?profile=122615
Hanan Munayyer is a Palestinian –American collector and researcher of Palestinian clothing.
She felt in love with the Palestinian embroidery in 1987, when she saw a collection of dresses and accessories brought to New York by the late Rolla Foley, an American Quaker who was in Palestine in 1938. Foley was working as a teacher at the Friends School in Ramallah. Foley´s collection included a large number of quality items of Palestinian and Syrian costumes, some of them date back to 1850.
Hanan and her husband bought the Foley´s collection because they thought that embroidery is one of the strongest expressions of Palestinian culture and they were interested in promoting the Palestinian cultural image in a positive way.
Munayyer, a molecular biologist, put her research skills to use to dig into the history of their new possessions — through books (only a handful were available then), textile experts and trips back to the Middle East.
Her collection has items of proto-Palestinian attire in artifacts from the Canaanite period (1500 BCE) such as Egyptian paintings depicting Canaanites in A-shaped garments. Munayyer says that from 1200 BC to 1940 AD, all Palestinian dresses were cut from natural fabrics in a similar A-line shape with triangular sleeves. This shape is known to archaeologists as the “Syrian tunic” and appears in artifacts such as an ivory engraving from Megiddo dating to 1200 BC.
She has the largest collection in America, the Munayyer collection includes costumes from most Palestinian regions well known for distinctive costumes. The collection has been displayed in several American museums.
Hanan is the co-founder and president of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation. She has researched and lectured on Palestinian textile arts for over twenty years.
Her book Traditional Palestinian Costume Origins and Evolution was published by Interlink Books in May 2011, is the culmination of Hanan´s research for the past twenty three years. It reflects the historical and cultural richness of Palestine and the Arab world through costumes and embroidery.
Hanan’s study commenced with scholarly exploration into art history, archaeology, the interpretation of ancient patterns, and the history of costumes and craft in the Middle East over the last 4,000 years. It includes extensive field research and the culling of museum resources and publications from around the world.
The book presents the most exhaustive and up-to-date study of the origins of Palestinian embroidery and costume—from antiquity through medieval Arab textile arts to the present. It documents the evolution of costume and the textile arts in Palestine in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries region by region.
Hanan knows that these textiles have long played an important role in Palestinian culture and identity and are manifested in every aspect of Palestinian life. She believes that the costumes are sources of historical data.
Hanan received the ATFP Award for Excellence in Arts Scholarship at ATFP’s Sixth Annual Gala on October 19, 2011 in recognition of her book on traditional costumes.
Some items from her collection
Sources:
– http://www.palestineheritage.org
– http://www.all4palestine.com
Videos
-Hanan Karaman Munayyer awarded for Excellence in Arts Scholarship, ATFP 6th Annual Gala
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjy-Px-9k2w
–Traditional Palestinian Costume: Lecture and Book Signing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFPSY9rwGIs
Further readings:
– “Traditional Palestinian Costume: Lecture and Book Signing”
http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/32204/pid/v
– Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution
http://www.wrmea.org/2012-october/books-traditional-palestinian-costume-origins-and-evolution.html
Edited by Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi
“Jerusalem is Arab nationalism’s bride”; so wrote the Iraqi poet Muthaffer Al-Nawwab. Indeed, the city holds a lofty place in the concept of Arab identity, yet it is also a place that has seen more than its share of strife and contention.
Yet as Arab Jerusalemites are increasingly persecuted, and as the attempts to pull Jerusalem further away from the Arab World continue, the city’s iconic status only grows in the eyes of all Arabs – be they Christian, Muslim, or secular. This bond is as intangible as it is incontrovertible, making it difficult to define and examine.
The Arab League named Jerusalem its “capital of Arab culture” for 2009, and although Israeli occupation authorities have, predictably, intervened to prevent and disturb celebrations in the city, Jerusalem remains a unique place whose people and visitors reflect diverse dynasties and cultures.
Culture is the embodiment of identity – it is how we define ourselves and our place in the world. The aim here is to present a vision of culture in the Holy City, as manifested in the accomplishments of selected writers, artists, teachers, and all others who have made the city of Jerusalem and Palestinian culture what it is today. Thereby the celebration of culture is not limited to local Palestinian or Arab culture but considers also the achievements of others since this particular city, throughout its history, has embraced so many different peoples, religions, languages and ideas, all which legacies of artistic expressions of all kinds.
Jerusalem is first and foremost known around the world as a Holy City. To be sure, it acts as such for millions of Arabs, both Christian and Muslim, as well as Jews. For Arabs the city is Al-Quds, “The Holy.” It is the site of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, “The Farthest Mosque”, as well as of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, in addition to dozens of other sacred sites. Holy places dot the city’s landscape, and millions of visitors each year are drawn by its mystique of history and sanctity.
This juried exhibit features works by twelve artists in a variety of media that speak to Jerusalem’s complex historical, religious and emotional significance and consider the need for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict, recognizing the rights of Palestinians in the city.
Still, Jerusalem is much more. For many Arabs and Palestinians Jerusalem represents the symbol for loss and hope of recovery, which has been expressed in poetry, paintings, and other forms of expression through the last decades. It is a living, breathing city with a remarkable history and a vibrant Arab culture. Arab Jerusalemites are a resilient and striking people living among an amalgamation of international influences. The heritage and history of Jerusalem can be overwhelming at times. The beginnings of the Islamic Empire can be found within the walls of the Old City, for example, and such historical significance can be both a burden and a blessing. Yet the importance of the cultural and historical aspects of Jerusalem in the eyes of Arabs as a whole cannot be overstated. The writing, painting, and other forms of expression that have been produced with Jerusalem in mind are a testimony to its centrality in the hearts and minds of the Arab world.
Unfortunately, the narrative of Jerusalem is one that is rife with conflict. The city today is not one of peace; it is one of separation, racism, and hostility. Jerusalem has been reduced to a political pawn, a final status issue that lies at the heart of the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict but that no one is ready to touch for fear of throwing the tenuous peace process into further doubt. Yet, the difficulties that surround access and rights in the city for Arabs have only increased their desire to maintain it as a part of their lives. This sentiment is especially true for those Palestinians who live so near and yet are kept away just the same. The world must realize that Jerusalem should be a free and open city, not an oppressive border town where an entire swath of its inhabitants are discriminated against.
In the end, culture is about our interactions with our environments, our fellow men, and ourselves. Arabs have a bond to the city that is different than connection held with any other city in the world. Mecca and Medina are holy sites whose political implications do not match those of Jerusalem. It is an international city, and the interactions between such disparate populations are evident in the streets of Jerusalem everyday. These days, though, that coexistence is rare. There is no cooperation in terms of urban planning, architectural integrity, or culture. The stark contrasts that have resulted prevent Jerusalem from being a single, cohesive entity. Rather, it is a divided city, and it remains to be seen whether this disunion can ever be reconciled.
Arabs have a long history of bringing culture and prosperity to the Holy City, and it is important to go beyond simple reminiscing and instead look at what those contributions have meant to Jerusalem and to the Arab World at large. Just as Arabs have had a profound effect on the city, the city has done the same in return.
Neither the Palestinians’ dispossession and dispersal into various cultural realities, nor 62 years Nakba and assaults on and oppression of Palestinian education, journalism, literature, art, symbolism and folklore, have succeeded in destroying the determination of the Palestinian people to resist through culture, preserve their identity and heritage, and protect their roots. As a result, it is a great diversity of styles, genres and media that characterizes Palestinians’ artistic expressions.
On the occasion of Al-Quds – Capital of Arab Culture 2009, PASSIA has produced this compilation of aspects of culture in the city in a bid to present the rich Arab-Palestinian culture between ancient heritage and modernity and to expand knowledge of the cultural diversity of the Palestinians. In addition, this publication features not only Palestinian-Arab poems and poets, authors, painters and other artists, but also acknowledges other international literary or art pieces that have been inspired by this unique city. The aim here is not to present an exhaustive survey but rather a representative overview of artwork celebrating Jerusalem’s universal and thus international unique characteristics as well as cultures all over the world together with the rich Palestinian culture in Jerusalem.
Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi
Jerusalem
Source:
http://passia.org/publications/Jerusalem-of-art/intro.htm
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