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Ammon News - by Gaelle Sundelin/ Jordan Times

AMMAN — Messages of sympathy flooded social media networks on Monday, expressing sadness and surprise over the passing away of Jordanian artist and academic Ali Maher.

Popularly known as “Sheikh of Amman” and “Baba”, the 55-year-old suffered a stroke.

“Some people you take for granted to always be around... and when you least expect it, they’re no longer there!” one Facebook user wrote on Maher’s page.

His friends remember him as a warm and generous man who shared his extensive love of life, arts and culture.

“Ali was larger than life,” said Swedish Ambassador to Jordan Charlotta Sparre who was a close friend of Maher.

“With warmth and generosity, he shared his vast knowledge of Amman and with even greater passion did he share his life with all of us who had the privilege to get to know him,” she told The Jordan Times.

Maha Kawar, another friend said “he had a heart for everybody and love for everybody”.

Maher had recently turned his passion for art and his house into the “Atelier Baba” art school where anyone could come and express themselves through painting and exhibit their work.

Maher was a commissioner on the Royal Film Commission board and a professor of art and architecture at the German Jordanian University.

He previously served as director of Darat Al Funun’s art centre and also played brief roles in recent Jordanian films such as “Captain Abu Raed” and “Transit Cities”.

Born in 1958 in Amman, Maher obtained a high diploma in architecture from the Moscow Architectural Institute in Russia.

He also studied academic drawing, sculpture, painting, history of art and the philosophy of aesthetics in Moscow.

“He saw everything in rainbow colours…when you go with him you forget about everything and you go into his magical free world of love, art, freedom and culture,” noted Kawar, who has known Maher for over 25 years.

In spite of his positive and outgoing personality, he was also empathetic, aware of the difficulties faced by others, according to his friends.

“He is a true human being in every sense of the word... He is a character you can’t find anywhere else, he is unique… he will always live in our memory,” Kawar said.