Art students still held back by society on path to pursue their passion

AMMAN — Hussam, a university student, chose to study an art major when he graduated from school, only to realise three years later that “art doesn’t provide one with sufficient income”, which made him change his major to civil engineering.

“I used to love art when I was a school student. I chose it as a major out of passion. When I became a third year student, I was talked out of the idea by several people in my community,” he said.

The student, who only identified himself as Hussam, said it was frustrating to have to change his major into a “more practical field”.

He said society’s view of art students also played a part in persuading Jordanian youths against pursuing art majors, adding that he has experienced criticism for choosing a major that “does not have a future” in Jordan.

For Alaa Khatib, a visual arts student, art has been her childhood hobby and she has aspired since then to become a well-known artist.

She told The Jordan Times recently that her family and friends at first did not approve of her decision, for economic and social reasons.

“They knew I always had that passion for art and that becoming an artist was the only thing I was passionate about… I told them I wanted to try the major and if it didn’t meet my expectations, I would switch to something else.”

Khatib said art students at Jordanian universities face many challenges, including the shortage in professors, facilities and creative material within the curriculum.

“Over the course of four years, the curriculum focuses on more theoretical material than practical work. Students also do not accept new ideas, which is also a factor of the backlash of art in the country,” she said.

Mazen Asfour, an art critic and one of the founders of the faculty of art and design at the University of Jordan (UJ), said art faculties in the Kingdom lack a generation of young artists.

“We feel… There was a gap between the generations of Jordanian artists; the pioneers of art in Jordan gave their great message and now they are retiring,” he told The Jordan Times.

Asfour believes that many families do not approve of art as a university major because of the thought that it “contradicts religious beliefs”.

“Annually, about 300 students major in interior design, 50 in graphic art, but only 10 in painting and 10 in sculpture [at UJ].”

 He said the reason behind the low number of young Jordanians entering the field is mainly economic, and the lack of plans and cultural strategies that encourage local artists to produce work.

Jordanian artist Hussein Nashwan said students’ hesitation in majoring in art is a result of the “absence of a clear vision” after graduating from school. 

Nashwan told The Jordan Times that art’s low turnout in the Kingdom is caused by the traditional mindset that views art simply as a hobby. 

He criticised limiting the field to a few art pieces and paintings, adding that art enriches culture and ensures its prosperity. 

To pave the way a new generation of artists to bloom, artist Hanada Khataybeh called for enhancing art syllabus at universities to include more modern topics.

The bachelor’s degree holder in art and design said universities should be “more selective” when it comes to hiring new art professors, and work to add more practical hours to the course plan. 

But architect and artist Shamekh Bluwi had a different view on the status of the local art scene, arguing that modern art in Jordan is developing and is on the right track.

“Despite all the challenges and the restrictions on local artists, they have managed to produce work that is on the same level as international artists,” he told The Jordan Times.

As long as students or aspiring artists have the commitment and creativity to produce artworks, they can excel in the field, Bluwi added.