During the COVID-19 lockdown, Samer Tabbaa turned isolation into inspiration, creating a relief artwork that blends painting and sculpture. Using materials like bitumen, oil, and pigments, he carved and layered surfaces to explore memory and emotion. Though known for dark tones, he introduced lighter colors, adding balance and contrast. Deeply rooted in abstraction, the piece reflects personal emotions like fear, hope, and anger.

Samer Tabbaa

Samer Tabbaa is a sculptor based in Amman, Jordan whose practice explores materiality in ways that are collaborative, exhaustive, and spiritual. Working with wood, metal, stone, and pigments, his labor-intensive process creates a tension between delicate, kneaded forms, and robust structures. Born in Taif, Saudi Arabia in 1945, Tabbaa draws inspiration from the vast and bare forms of desertic natural landscapes.. Tabbaa earned his MFA in Sculpture from Kent State University in 1979, and his BFA in Fine Arts in 1976, as well as a BA in Sociology and Anthropology in 1973 from Youngstown State University.