Earlier this year, Qatar Museums debuted a new design Biennial in Doha to promote MENA talent. More than 60 Arab designers from multiple disciplines like architecture, craft, fashion, graphic and much more, showcased their creations. The exhibition ran from February 24 till August 5. On September 28, it made an exceptional comeback for one night only. During that special evening, the “Arab Design Now”, a book commemorating this unprecedented initiative in the Arab region, was released. Being the design enthusiast that I am — having dabbled in textile art and ceramics — I kept a close eye on all the entries. Today, I share with you the names that caught my attention the most and compiled them into a list of designers that you should keep on your radar!

Egypt, design studio

40MUSTAQEL is the brainchild of the Cairo based graphic designer Nada Hesham. “Mustaqel” means “independent” in English, a name that certainly leaves no one indifferent. The studio is a strong roaring voice that pushes the conversation about the state of graphic design in the MENA region forward. Throughout their existence, 40MUSTAQEL completed many projects, but designing the branding of the 2023 SOLE DBX festival and the 2023 Arab Cinema Week are their best to date. I believe that these two projects perfectly capture their aesthetic. Influenced by last century imagery, it combines a retro modern Arab lettering with a modern color palette. This hint of kitschiness appeals to newer generations while it evokes nostalgia for older ones. They heavily play on the contrast between the past and the present. It is very refreshing to see a language rooted in tradition and steeped in history being reinvented. Creating fonts and typefaces for Arabic isn’t an easy task! Any typographer would tell you how challenging it can be. It is through the creative work of such talented designers that we can truly understand what “Arab” design means in the 21st century. 

Lebanon, art and design studio

Clayper is a pseudonymous Lebanese artisan whose specialty is creating all sorts of decorative accessories and functional objects out of recycled paper. It will be very difficult to resist the urge of touching their artwork. You will rub your eyes out of disbelief, and go in for a closer look. Your brain will be confused thinking that the shapes in sight are made out of stone! This ability to recreate the rawness of rocks through its grooves, ridges, bumpiness and grittiness is mesmerizing. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I am going to leave you with the “Post-Disaster Room” they created in collaboration with Gregory Gatserelia back in 2022. 

Jordan, textile artist 

Ishraq presents herself as a textile artist, weaver and Awassi wool developer. After obtaining a degree in architecture, she left the USA for Italy to study material design. Her journey led her to focus on textile creation, and in retracing the roots of textile production. For several years, Ishraq has been studying centuries-old Bedouin felting, loom-making, weaving, and yarn dyeing techniques in order to integrate them into the production of her own wool material. She learned how to process wool from animal to finished product. And as a novice weaver myself, I can only admire Ishraq’s talent. Crafting masterpieces of that caliber requires a lot of time, inexhaustible patience, and total dedication. Few are those who can claim that they are directly involved in every step of production, from creating raw materials to presenting a finished product. I believe anyone who is remotely interested in sustainability should be introduced to the art of weaving. Following Ishraq is a great place to start. 

Palestine, ceramist 

Maïa is a French-Palestinian ceramist based in Berlin. She is the founder of Moio Studio. She is known for her interest in the “transformation of matter”, and how “things evolve to become another”. Her work is greatly influenced by natural history — and you don’t need to read a description to figure it out! All of her pieces resemble artifacts that Indiana Jones would have coveted. They look like ancient relics dug up from lost caves that have been abandoned for decades, if not centuries. Her ability to mix glazes that create the effect of aged, cracked and unearthed patina is the fruit of time, sweat, tears, and willingness to go back to the kiln. Lately, Maïa has been focusing on creating bigger sculptures. However, I would love her to get involved in the development of material that can be used in history recreation and conservation efforts. Will it happen? Only time will tell. 

Iraq, multidisciplinary artist

Nedim is an internationally renowned Iraqi-Dutch mixed media artist. He explores topics like war, political conflict, exile, grief and historical memory. A veteran, Nedim has more than 20 solo exhibitions to his name. Throughout his career, he used different media like painting and print-making and mixes between digital and manual means. His body of work is rich and varied, and deserves a more thorough review. However, the “blue design” series marked me most. There is a familiar, soothing, and soul piercing feeling to it. If you want to meditate and forget the hustle and bustle of life, gazing at it may be a good option! The common denominators of this series are grids, patterns and the Arabic language. I find that very fitting. For those who don’t know, there is a type of calligraphy in Arabic called “Kufic”. A term that is very similar to his family name “Kufi”. So, I don’t believe that is a coincidence. I think that he was predestined to choose this path! 

Bahrain, multidisciplinary artist

Noor is an experimental Bahraini multidisciplinary artist who has made a name for herself in the Gulf region. One of her most noteworthy achievements is a 3rd place in the 45th Bahrain Annual Fine Arts exhibition (2019). Two years later, in 2021, she received a grant from the Misk Art Institute, a Riyad-based cultural NGO. Her installations are known to promote a social engagement aspect. The goal of her projects is to foster conversation between different individuals around shared memories and sentiments while addressing themes such as collective identities. One of her many projects caught my attention in particular. In the “Sacred” series, Noor shared her grandfather’s work with the public. The installation consists of hanging sheer fabric featuring hand-embroidered patterns drawn by him. The end result offers a glimpse into his gentle and playful outlook to life. When I first saw it, I felt a very naïve yet deeply complex message being conveyed. The colors used for the embroidery are very vibrant. They are the colors of life; the colors of joy, while the transparent backdrop adds a touch of fluidity, calmness and rootedness to the entire experience.

France, multidisciplinary artist

A somewhat controversial inclusion, I couldn’t bring myself to leave Louis Barthélemy out of this list. Some might argue that he shouldn’t make the cut because he isn’t an Arab. They are right, Louis is not Arab by birth. However, he is an Arab at heart! His efforts to preserve and revive Arab traditional crafts cannot be understated or taken lightly. Louis is French, but he mostly spends his time travelling around the Arab world. He was involved in many projects throughout North Africa, mainly in Marrakesh and Cairo. He is mostly famous for his textile art and print designs, especially appliqué tapestries. Influenced by ancient Egyptian culture, his most famous tapestries showcase athletic men going on with their lives during the Pharaohs’ epoch. He uses his artwork to tell an entire story throughout images and icons. Archeologists had to decipher hieroglyphics and we got to decipher Louis’ imagination. If you are intrigued, there is an opportunity to discover his talent for yourself. In February 2025, he will be showcasing his work at The Louvre Abu Dhabi as part of a group exhibition titled “Queens and Kings of Africa”.

Save the article and share it with your art-savvy friends to see if they have any other names to add! And I am curious to know who are your favorite Arab designers?