Book: Yasmine Nachabe Taan

Abdulkader Arnaout, Designing as Visual Poetry

A Pioneer of Graphic Design in Syria

The third in the series Arabic Design Library by Khatt Books.

It is a concise and highly illustrated bilingual account (in English and Arabic) of the Syrian modernist graphic designer, typographer, poet and professor. This book highlights a compilation of Arnaout’s salient design work—his numerous poster designs for theatre, art exhibitions, and cultural events—and presents his outstanding contribution to the development of graphic design and typography in Syria and the Arab World.

ADL03_Abdulkader Arnaout_Book Cover - Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès

Abdulkader Arnaout is a pioneer of graphic design in Syria. He has was one of the first graphic design practitioners, and was renown in his native Syria as a modernist designer and artist. A passionate poet, painter, typographer, and designer, he designed more than 600 posters and around 300 book covers among other design applications such as Arabic fonts and logos. His innovative, direct and indelible posters mostly designed for the Ministry of Culture have shifted the way the Syrian public perceived design. His work is reflective of a strong modernist feel that was unfamiliar at the time. He introduced design as a profession moving away from the arts and crafts while highlighting the communicative function of graphic design.

Arnaout presented a different approach for dealing with design parameters and challenges, and reacted to complex design briefs by creating intelligent, unconventional and well-conceived creative solutions. He was a man of vision: his artwork had a great impact on the generation of artists who graduated from the visual communication program at the Faculty of Arts in Damascus during the last two and a half decades (1967-1992). This book highlights a compilation of Arnaout’s salient design work—his numerous poster designs for theater, art exhibitions, and cultural events—and presents his outstanding contribution to the development of graphic design and typography in Syria and the Arab World.

To browse through the book or to order your copy online, please visit:
http://www.khattbooks.com

Abdulkader Arnaout, Designing as Visual Poetry
A Pioneer of Graphic Design in Syria

Author: Yasmine Nachabe Taan
Publisher: Khatt Books, Amsterdam
Series: Arabic Design Library 3
ISBN:978-94-90939-11-3
Book Design: Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès
Edition: 176 p, ills colour, 17 x 24 cm, Hardback.
Languages: English & Arabic
Price: €29,50

This book is also available in various international bookshops. In Beirut: Sursock Museum Store, Virgin Megastore, Papercup and Librairie Antoine. In Dubai: Kinokunia.