ABOUT
bio
Nissa Raad (Fakhrelnissa Raad) is a Jordanian artist who was born in Amman in 1981. She graduated from Brown University in 2002 with a BA in history before receiving an MSc in urban development and design from UCL, London, in 2004. She is Swedish on her mother's side and has Turkish roots - an eclectic background which has influenced her style of art. Mixed media, vibrant colors, rich texture and interesting contrasts are ubiquitous in Nissa's whimsical work which is inspired by both the urban and the natural - particularly Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cities and seaside towns. ​
Colourful, soulful subjects dominate her work and she has recently ventured more into minimalist, organic abstracts.​ Nissa has had several sold out solo exhibitions in Amman and in Istanbul, and has participated in numerous group exhibitions both locally and internationally as well as contemporary art fairs in Dubai, Istanbul, Beirut, Paris, New York and Madrid.
Based in Amman, she is a mom of 2 teenage sons and a daughter.
The art of her late grandmother, the Turkish artist Fahrelnissa Zeid, has always inspired her own work.
EXHIBITIONS + FAIRS
2023
ART CAIRO, Cairo | Mixed Palette, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, Istanbul
2022
ART DUBAI, Dubai | 17th Contemporary Istanbul Fair, Istanbul | DarArt Fair, Amman | Mixed Palette, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | FAME Gallery, Mykonos| Egypt International Art Fair , Cairo | Local Artists group exhibition, World Bank Offices, Amman.
2021
MenaArt Fair, Paris | DarArt Fair, Amman | "LUNA" SOLO, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman
2020
“Art Essence”, Galeria Gaudi, Madrid
2019
"Room with a view", W Hotel, Amman | "Nahnu", Jodar Artistry, Amman | "UM" SOLO, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | Beirut Art Fair, Beirut | Luxembourg Contemporary Art Fair, Luxembourg | “Sea of Art”, New York Art Center, New York
2018
Mixed Palette, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | The Sweetness of Lemons" SOLO, Dirimart Gallery, Istanbul | "Color outside the lines", charity exhibition, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman
2017
“Zen” SOLO, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | Beirut Art Fair, Beirut | “Sketched” group exhibition, Jacaranda Images, Amman
2016
“Brushstrokes from Petra”, Dar al Anda Gallery, Amman | “Al Hara” SOLO, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman | Collective Jordanian exhibition , Al Bareh Gallery, Bahrain | Mixed Palette, Wadi Finan Art Gallery, Amman.
