BRITISH MUSEUM
I started this project with primary research that I did during commune.
We went to the British museum at first and my primary research consisted of observing all the type of art and history in the exhibition and think of a way to use it for my upcoming work.
These selection of pieces I found really beautiful and interesting are the ones that inspired me and gave me the idea to work with geometric patterns and calligraphy.
Source: The british museum, The Albukhary Foundation Gallery, Rooms 42-43
UMMI
The concept of branding using the beauty of the Middle East charm is done in a simple way but the patterns used have the power to attract and increase buys.
Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/56834689/Ummi-Middle-East-Bread-Branding-Packaging
HASSAN HAJJAJ
Self taught photographer and designer. He draws influence from Pop Art and fashion photography.
Source: https://www.artsy.net/artist/hassan-hajjaj
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Dream of the fifties
Part of my primary research for the first outcome was to go to the library and look into all sorts of advertising posters, I was not looking for something specially just anything that would feel interesting.
The reason why I chose to include these 2 posters of the same book in my research is because Iliked the way the message was conveyed using both type and Image making.
In my first thoughts of the first outcome, I was thinking of doing something similar.
Source: Dream of the fifties (1988) American Romance: The world of advertising art. Heibonsha Ltf publishers. Tokyo, Japan.
V&A Museum
After the visit to the British museum, we went to the Victoria and Albert museum to check out the Islamic Middle East exhibition and there I found some piece of work that inspired me and pushed me to want to include the geometric patterns and the calligraphy.
Source: Victoria and Am, The Islamic Middle East, Room 42.lbert museu
SHADI GHADIRIAN
Shadi is a modern Muslim women living in Iran and she takes photographs that exaggerate the customs of her Iranian culture and the stereotype it places on women. The artist includes humor and Irony in her work.
Source: https://www.artsy.net/artist/shadi-ghadirian
ARTS AND POLITICS
It’s hard to come to the Middle East and not eventually have a conversation about politics.
Political symbolism is highly visible in the middle east.
Source: https://middleeastartmix.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/art-and-politics-i/
MIDDLE EASTERN TYPOGRAPHY
VAN GOGH MUSEUM
VAN GOGH MUSEUM
“Prints in Paris 1990, from elite to the street”
This exhibition explores the cosmopolitan French capital
It exhibits 250 prints from the leading fin de siècle prints collection
Modern artists decorated the entire French capital with their prints in the period 1890–1905. World-famous posters like Le Chat Noir and Le Moulin Rouge were displayed along the boulevards and in popular cafés.
Looking at this exhibition’s website was a primary research for me when I started working on my first outcome. I was looking at prints and posters from the early years and I found this exhibitions that reflects the way artists used to create their prints.
Source: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/prints-in-paris?v=1
SHIRIN NESHAT
The reason why this artist inspired me so much specially with her work is because it revolves around sending a message about the Arab world and raising awareness of it's flaws.
Source: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/shirin-neshat-unveiling
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VIEW FROM THE INSIDE
FotoFest International, for its fifteenth Biennial, has curated an exhibition dedicated to Contemporary Arab Photography, Video and Mixed-media Art. The exhibition, titled "View from Inside", highlights the works of 49 Arab artists from 13 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, with seventeen female artists included.
Source: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/fotofest-international-view-from-inside-49-arab-photographers
GRAPHIC DESIGN FROM THE MIDDLE EAST
Graphic design took off in the Middle East at a later time than in the West. The result however is just as powerful.
In countries such as Egypt and Lebanon, the art of drawing is still considered to be very important in art academies.
These academies are represented by hyper-talented illustrators who mix their handmade designs with digital illustrations. They produce designs with depth and texture that breathe nostalgia and have a contemporary feel at the same time.
Lance Wyman and Eduardo Paolozzi exhibition
East London gallery Bloomberg Space’s latest exhibition Metro: Art at Velocity brings together an artist and a graphic designer to celebrate how design has helped to make both transport systems and public city spaces recognisable.
I looked at this exhibition after creating my first outcome and started thinking about the location. I think that this exhibitions helped me contextualize my work because it showed the importance of design in a specific location.