Monther Jawabreh is a Palestinian artist who is constantly challenging his art practice and who has been reviewed and labeled in different ways; perhaps this is due to the fact that Jawabreh addressed many different forms of art, techniques, and not least of all, media. Here is an artist who needed to satiate his art practice with all that is available to him in education, exposure, and materials. Jawabreh understood early on that medium and then technique should be in service of the concepts he addresses to bring about a strong work.

If we are to liken Jawabreh in terms of an art movement one can safely say his work is reminiscent of Arte Povera, not so much in the principles on which it signified, but rather in the concept of the materials he used. Jawabreh has utilized paper tissue, his own hair, woven threads and went to the extent of shredding his old paintings to make new ones. Currently he is using cement and woven threads to serve the concept of “there is weakness in every strength and strength in every weakness.” Unlike some artists Jawabreh’s artwork is not the result of an inner search, rather it is the tool to search within. In his questioning of memories tied to origins and roots, he has explored and experimented with different disciplines such as painting, video art, and performance art. A major aspect of Jawabreh’s work has been making art that is socially interactive.

Most recently, Jawabreh was part of “Qutneh Ya Baladi,” an art initiative funded by the AM Qattan Foundation, in which a group of artists worked with the residents of Qutneh to repaint and visually restore their city. Jawabreh is also heavily involved in activism, he is responsible for founding artistic institutions in Palestine alongside teaching art in several Palestinian universities and schools. Jawabreh was awarded the 2018 honorable prize at 18th Asian Art Biennial in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the Jesus of Palestinian Eyes in 2002. Since 2006, Jawabreh has been a board member of the Palestinian Artists League based in Ramallah.His works have been acquired by the following collections: Villa des arts, Morocco, Dar El Nimer, Beirut, Wagner Museum, Bayreuth, Germany, The Palestine Poster Project Archives, Palestine, Imago Mundi Luciano Benetton, Italy, Yvette & Mazen Qubty Collection, Palestine and the Dar Al Sabagh Diaspora, Bethlehem.

Born in 1976 in Al-Aroub refugee camp in Palestine. Jawabreh graduated from Al-Najah National University, Nablus in 2001 and is currently pursuing his masters degree in Fine Arts at Dar Al Kalimeh University in Bethlehem. He lives and works in Bethlehem, Palestine.

• Villa des Arts, Morocco.
• Dar El Nimer, Beirut, Lebanon
• Wagner Museum, Bayreuth, Germany.
• The Palestine Poster Project Archives, Palestine.
• Imago Mundi Luciano Benetton, Italy.
• Yvette & Mazen Qubty Collection, Palestine.
• Dar Al Sabbagh Diaspora, Bethlehem.

• 2018  honorable prize at 18th Asian Art Biennial 2018, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• 2002  Jesus of Palestinian Eyes, cooperation with Dar Al Nadwa, Norway