| Mona Saudi | |
| Birth Date: | 1 October 1945 |
| Birth Place: | Amman, Transjordan |
| Nationality: | Jordanian[1] |
| Education: | École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris (1973) |
| Known For: | Sculptor, publisher, activist |
| Movement: | Modernist |
Mona Saudi (ar|منى السعودي) (1 October 1945 – 16 February 2022) was a Jordanian sculptor, publisher, and art activist.
Mona Saudi was born in Amman, Jordan.[2] She grew up in a neighbourhood that was metres away from the Nymphaeum (ancient Roman public baths) and this was her playground. The proximity to a historic site gave her a profound respect for Jordan's ancient art heritage, as well as providing her with a source of inspiration for her sculptures.[3]
As a teenager, growing up in Amman, she knew that she wanted to move to Beirut, the then centre of the Arab arts scene, and become a full time artist. At the age of 17 years, she ran away from home, taking a taxi to Beirut.[3] In an interview with the Gulf News, she explained that she left home without her father's permission because in her family, women were banned from attending university.[4]
In Beirut, she met influential artists, poets and intellectuals, including Adonis, Paul Guiragossian and Michel Basbous, and became part of their social circle.[4] She held her first exhibition in a Beirut cafe, and from this raised sufficient funds to purchase a ticket to Paris.[4]
She enrolled at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and graduated in 1973.[5] In Paris, she began using stone as a medium for her sculpture and had been using it ever since.[4]
Saudi died on 16 February 2022, at the age of 76.[6]
Saudi mainly sculpts in stone. She used stones from around the world to create her sculptures.[7] Outside of her country, Saudi was one of the best known Jordanian artists. Her subject matter explored themes of growth and creation.