Khatt Chronicles in Conversation With the Authors of Khatt Books' Arabic Design Library Series
In this episode of the Khatt Chronicles podcast, Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès leads a discussion with the authors of the three latest titles from Khatt Books' Arabic Design Library series. Dr Haytham Nawar introduces "Nagy Shaker: An Experimental Graphic Artist of the Egyptian Avant-Garde"; Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares & Dr Nagla Samir introduce "Mouneer Al-Shaarani: Against the Grain, Exploring the Scope of the Arabic Letter"; and Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan introduces "Mouna Bassili Sehnaoui: The First Lebanese Woman Graphic Designers to Brand her Nation".
The four enter into a conversation that goes beyond describing the content of their books, addressing the challenges of undertaking design in a geographical context where material and archives are hard to find, where relying on oral history and primary accounts is key, and where distribution of printed matter is complicated.
They each elaborate on the particularities of translation, of conveying the spirit of the content, and the importance of highlighting both the voice of the subject-designer as well as the author's voice. They discuss the materiality of the books and their design and the relevance of the series to advancing a nuanced representation of global design histories. They also discuss the importance of these publications as support material for design educators in the region and internationally.
The books may be ordered online
Khatt Chronicles
Khatt Chronicles, in collaboration with afikra, features remarkable designers, illustrators, and researchers from the Arab World, in engaging conversations about their practice, vision, and aspirations. A podcast series that chronicles and introduces the latest explorations in Arab visual communication and material culture.
