You are cordially invited to the group exhibition “Empathy and Craft in the 21st Century” which marks the conclusion of a four week series of workshops that invited local and international artists to converge and investigate through various art forms the concept of “intersectionality” – the idea that we all inhabit multiple identities at once, and are affected by related systems of social injustice and discrimination. The term, being actively explored in 21st century art and activism was coined by civil rights advocate Kimberly Willaims Crenshaw.

In the past, labels such as gender, class, race and religion have tended to label us as one thing, when the reality is that we are complex beings. How do these labels keep us from having empathy for one another and what role can art making have in creating empathy and connection? How does the concept of intersectionality help liberate ourselves from old ideas and forms, both in how we think and what we make, and allow us to explore new ones? The artworks filling the experimental space of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts stand for the creative attempts in using craft to begin answering these questions.

Featuring Artists: Ali Yass – Ahmad Salameh – Bayan Kiwan – Diala Al Daghlise – Dina Malkawi – Diran Mataljalian – Ethan Murrow – Hannnah Jabare – Khaldoun Hijazin – Lina Salah – Mayada Abu-Qdais – Patte Loper – Sama Shahrouri – Tasneem Jaabo – Wujoud.

Curated by: Patte Loper, Diran Mataljalian, Ethan Murrow and Khaldoun Hijazin.