La Serpiente, 1982-1983

Samer Tabbaa
Acrylic on canvas, 116 × 98 cm
Tar on wood, 212 × 30 cm

Tabbaa’s time in Spain (1980–1983) was pivotal to his artistic career. He spent these years focused on sculpting in his studio, in parallel to drawing and painting at home. In a period that he describes as solitary, Tabbaa developed a recurring snake motif that appeared in only three of his works. This motif was the first manifestation of the minimalist concepts that would define his later creations.

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.