Jafer Taoun
“To the Painting, O Space”
"To the Painting, O Space” is an awe-inspiring exhibition held at Dar Al-Anda Art Gallery in Amman. The paintings featured in this exhibition carry the soul of the great Arab poet Adonis and the Iraqi artist Jafer Taoun. Such celebrations are characterized by the presence of a number of poets, writers, artists, and media figures. Thus, a deep sense of brotherhood is achieved between the poet and the artist in front of the audience. This welding or intertwining between poetry and art is very ancient. Adonis presented texts in his own handwriting after receiving the original works of the artist Jafar Taoun in Paris. Here, the artist presented color, Iraqi identity, and craftsmanship in paintings that are extremely precise, and decorated with Adonis' texts. What happens between the poetic text and the painting is a loving embrace, their beauty reaches the absolute because poetry and art are infinite. A statement of poetry and art, that says we do not fear you, O death. We stare at you with the vigor of life. Just as poetry and art remain a creative addition to humanity in this world inhabited by weapons, tanks, and guns.
Art and poetry are counter to all of this. The cry of the poet and the artist is sometimes unheard amid this chaos. The chaos of values and misery. But it is heard like the fluttering of a lonely bird passing quickly in this flying universe, creating beauty as it flies.
- Zaher Al-Ghafrari, Omani poet