Jordanian, Swiss artists join voices for Red Sea corals in Aqaba

AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Princess Rajwa Bint Ali, the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts is scheduled to organise "Voices of the Reef: Season 1" exhibition at Aqaba Fortress from November 1 to December 12. 

The exhibition presents 11 visual artists and is the result of an artists' residency held last May, where they were invited to explore the coral reefs in Aqaba and draw inspiration from them, according to a Swiss embassy statement.

The aim of this long-term project, carried out with the support of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and the Swiss embassy in Amman, is to raise public awareness through art of the beauty of these corals, and the importance of preserving these ‘Reef of Hope’ resisting global warming. 

The exhibition takes place in a special, and rather dramatic, context of worldwide disappearance of corals due to global warming, while those in the Gulf of Aqaba have demonstrated a unique resistance to this phenomenon. 

They are « the Reefs of Hope », hope that this one last major, such diverse and essential, yet fragile, ecosystem will survive for the future generations of the region, and beyond, providing a wide range of crucial services to millions of people - provided they are protected against local potential sources of destruction.

The Voices of the Reef multi-year project aims to raise public awareness through Art of the beauty of these corals, and the importance of preserving this common good for Jordan, and the whole world.

“The experience of the first edition of the “Voices of the Reef” establishes an ambitious and sustainable project in which art plays a significant role in raising awareness about the environment, protecting it from surrounding threats, and transforming it into a vital source of inspiration and creativity.

It also serves as a motivation for human communities wherever they exist to preserve what they have physically and morally.

“When art and science come together, they can make a compelling case for environmental protection. Switzerland has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, and we hope this project will further raise awareness of the conservation and understanding of endangered coral reefs, and the important scientific efforts taking place in Aqaba," said Swiss Ambassador to Jordan Emilija Georgieva. 

The "Voices of the Reef: Season 1" will open to the public on Friday, where a special free to all events will be organised, an integral part of the exhibition. 

At 7pm, the fortress will host the open-air premier screening of "In the Offing", a documentary produced by filmmakers Noor Arafa and Yazan Tayseer, founders of Amman Films Collective.