How Not to Construct an Arabic Typeface in 2024 | Wael Marcos | 25 Years of VCUQatar
02/16/24 • 42 min
In this episode of the @Tasmeem_Doha podcast, we asked Wael Morcos, the founder of Morcos Key, about the dos and don'ts of designing an Arabic typeface in 2024. He talks through the realities of such a task, about Nasri Khattar's influence with his unified Arabic typeface, whether there's a Comic Sans equivalent in Arabic, and gives insightful examples on the topic.
Wael Morcos is a graphic designer and type designer from Beirut, Lebanon. Since graduating from Notre Dame University with a BA in Graphic Design, he has worked on developing identities and Arabic-Latin bilingual typefaces. In 2013, he completed a MFA at RISD and went on to found Morcos Key, a Brooklyn-based design studio that collaborates with art and cultural institutions, non-profits and commercial enterprises in North Africa and the Middle East.
Connect with Wael 👉 https://www.instagram.com/waelmorcos/
Tasmeem Doha is a biennial international conference that focuses on unique and contemporary themes in art and design. For 2024, the theme of the event is “Under Construction”, which is both a metaphor for creative research as well as a celebration and investigation of transformation. It is also a state that Doha has found itself in for decades: a transformation that has presented an outsized impact on the residents of the city.
Under Construction will also explore the past, present and future of VCUarts Qatar’s flagship event Tasmeem Doha. As part of the 25th anniversary of VCUart Qatar's campus in Doha, the event will bring together voices from the past, present and future of various disciplines involved in this cycle of rethinking and remaking.
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
In this episode of the @Tasmeem_Doha podcast, we asked Wael Morcos, the founder of Morcos Key, about the dos and don'ts of designing an Arabic typeface in 2024. He talks through the realities of such a task, about Nasri Khattar's influence with his unified Arabic typeface, whether there's a Comic Sans equivalent in Arabic, and gives insightful examples on the topic.
Wael Morcos is a graphic designer and type designer from Beirut, Lebanon. Since graduating from Notre Dame University with a BA in Graphic Design, he has worked on developing identities and Arabic-Latin bilingual typefaces. In 2013, he completed a MFA at RISD and went on to found Morcos Key, a Brooklyn-based design studio that collaborates with art and cultural institutions, non-profits and commercial enterprises in North Africa and the Middle East.
Connect with Wael 👉 https://www.instagram.com/waelmorcos/
Tasmeem Doha is a biennial international conference that focuses on unique and contemporary themes in art and design. For 2024, the theme of the event is “Under Construction”, which is both a metaphor for creative research as well as a celebration and investigation of transformation. It is also a state that Doha has found itself in for decades: a transformation that has presented an outsized impact on the residents of the city.
Under Construction will also explore the past, present and future of VCUarts Qatar’s flagship event Tasmeem Doha. As part of the 25th anniversary of VCUart Qatar's campus in Doha, the event will bring together voices from the past, present and future of various disciplines involved in this cycle of rethinking and remaking.
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Previous Episode
Curating "Under Construction" | Richard Lombard | 25 Years of VCUarts Qatar
Tasmeem Doha 2024's theme is "Under Construction". Richard Lombard, the conference's curator for this year, joins us to dive into the theme and understand the creative and logistical realities of putting a conference like this together, and which audience he has in mind when planning.
Through the conversation, Richard shares various experiences of Tasmeem Doha over the years and how each iteration has been the unique brainchild of the individual curator. We ask him what he expects from this year's Tasmeem Doha, and he shares his hopes that attendees walk away enriched and empowered by understanding their place within the broader creative community.
Richard Lombard is a materials specialist with experience in Art, Design, and Education. He taught for six years at VCUarts Qatar as an assistant, then associate professor in the MFA.DESIGN program. During his time there he also created and worked as the curator of the Materials Library. He now works as a Curatorial Consultant to Qatar Museums.
Tasmeem Doha is a biennial international conference that focuses on unique and contemporary themes in art and design. For 2024, the theme of the event is “Under Construction”, which is both a metaphor for creative research as well as a celebration and investigation of transformation. It is also a state that Doha has found itself in for decades: a transformation that has presented an outsized impact on the residents of the city.
Under Construction will also explore the past, present and future of VCUarts Qatar’s flagship event Tasmeem Doha. As part of the 25th anniversary of VCUart Qatar's campus in Doha, the event will bring together voices from the past, present and future of various disciplines involved in this cycle of rethinking and remaking.
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yer0GYFnNLk&list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Next Episode
Sour Things: On Food Practices for Pressing Matters | Mirna Bamieh | 25 Years of VCUarts Qatar
In this episode of the Tasmeem Doha podcast, artist Mirna Bamieh takes us around the world of fermentation and preservation, expanding on what participants of her workshop "Sour Things" learn. Bamieh explains the symbolism and role of fermentation in bringing attention to pressing world matters, and her fascination for the delicate balance between decay and "liveness". We discuss her work through Palestine Hosting Society, saving Palestinian recipes and their stories, and the precious food practices that they represent. Finally, we think about the disappearance of the pantry in our homes and the simple power of creating space as a form of resistance.
Mirna Bamieh is an artist whose work explores the politics of disappearance and memory production by unpacking the social concerns and limitations of Palestinian communities amid contemporary political dilemmas. Bamieh's work since 2019 has focused on the process of fermentation. Using her degree in culinary arts, she brings storytelling and food together through her live art food project Palestine Hosting Society.
Connect with Mirna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mirna_bamieh
You can join Sour Things: The Workshop on March 3rd or 4th at Tasmeem Doha 2024 https://tasmeem.qatar.vcu.edu/contributors/momin-swaitat-2/
Tasmeem Doha is a biennial international conference that focuses on unique and contemporary themes in art and design. For 2024, the theme of the event is “Under Construction”, which is both a metaphor for creative research as well as a celebration and investigation of transformation. It is also a state that Doha has found itself in for decades: a transformation that has presented an outsized impact on the residents of the city.
Under Construction will also explore the past, present and future of VCUarts Qatar’s flagship event Tasmeem Doha. As part of the 25th anniversary of VCUart Qatar's campus in Doha, the event will bring together voices from the past, present and future of various disciplines involved in this cycle of rethinking and remaking.
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns
Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yer0GYFnNLk&list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Watch other episodes in this series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xACvhOprM03PXJms10_3g
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook:
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