Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès interviews Egyptian graphic designer Nora Aly. They start the conversation discussing her entry into the field of Graphic design and her studies and masters project at the German University in Cairo (GUC). They discuss her interest in Arabic lettering and typography that engage with language and help shape collective identity.
They discuss in detail her discovery of the Nubian culture in Egypt, its endangered language and script, and the revival of the Nubian script. Nora talks about her design research project for a Nubian stencil font, a henna tool kit, and a publication, and elaborates on the importance of publishing and developing creative tools that raise awareness on the topic and that contribute to the livelihood of women in the Nubian community in Egypt.
The conversation moves forward to address Nora's interest in exploring the Arabic script's structure and flexibility, manipulating the letterforms to create lettering that visualize meaning. She discusses as case study the Cairo Art Book Fair, and the ideas behind its dynamic logotype and visual identity. She then talks about her recent publication, "7 Years of Rejections," which embodies her belief in the importance of embracing rejections and documenting failed ideas and concepts. Nora stresses on the importance of publishing these work with explanations; she believes that they help advance the discourse on the challenges and imperfections of the creative process.
She voices her fears that in the future relying on AI might dilute the personality in the work of graphic designers. However, she hopes that this might also be a moment that will revive an appreciation for the handmade and for human labor. Nora closes the conversation with a recommendation to make "A note to ourselves to be truthful to our creative process."
Nora Aly is one the visual artists and graphic women featured in the book, Revealing Recording Reflecting: Graphic Women from Southwest Asia and North Africa (Amsterdam: Khatt Books, 2024).
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