DUBAI: Ever since she was a child, Saudi graphic designer Shoug Almutairi has had trouble expressing herself verbally, she tells Arab News.
“I have been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), so conveying anything is not very easy for me,” the Riyadh-based Almutairi says. “It’s easier to use visual tools to express myself.”
Shoug Almutairi’s winning poster is an ode to her father. (Supplied)
Born in 1999, Almutairi grew up in a family of engineers and finance experts. “I’m the only design person in the family,” she says. “But I never thought of myself as a person who would indulge in the arts. Since childhood, I was really focused on math, logic and science. I never thought that I could combine all of these components and utilize them in a different visual language.”
Almutairi had dreams of pursuing architecture, since she believed it was the perfect fit — combining art and math. However, by 2017 she was studying graphic design at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh.
“My perspective on graphic design is, always, function above aesthetics,” she explains. “To me, aesthetics don’t mean a thing if they don’t have any justification behind them. Posters that are impactful are the ones that can reach people as fast as possible and can convey the message as fast as possible. They need to be built not on aesthetics, but logic.”
Shoug Albutairi’s ‘One to One Slideshow.’ (Supplied)
During her college days, Almutairi launched an online platform called “Dar Mdrban” (the second word means ‘gateway’ in Bedouin Arabic) with the aim of creating a visual library that reflects Saudi Arabia’s typography landscape, contemporary culture, storied heritage and intangible culture.
“I started this project because, growing up, I didn’t see myself being represented in culture,” Almutairi, who works under the Diriyah brand in the Kingdom, says. “I wanted it to be a gateway for contemporary design and experimentation.”
One of Almutairi’s illustrations is currently on view at a group exhibition, running until Aug. 30, in Dubai’s ICD Brookfield Place Arts Space. Inspired by personal memories and cultural treasures, the show is called “Memory Box,” acting as a third iteration of the venue’s annual Tasmeem (which means design in Arabic) initiative. Tasmeem is a graphic design and poster show that highlights up-and-coming designers and illustrators from the region.
“As we transition from childhood to adulthood, the experiences and narratives we encounter shape our existence,” reads a statement published by organizers. “This year’s exhibition explores the folkloric tales, dances, music, proverbs, and games integral to our upbringing, revealing the shared experiences that thread through our lives.”
For this project, Almutairi was inspired by her father, and her winning poster is something of an homage to him. One day, she came across his old suitcase, full of personal items close to his heart — cameras, photographs and other personal documents, including one of the invitations to his wedding.
“I wanted to my explore my father’s history,” she says. “I wanted to explore his suitcase and the adventures that he had and to dissect the secrets that he had in his childhood.”
The monochromatic artwork has a central text, executed in cursive Arabic calligraphy, which reads, “Every home has its secrets.” Almutairi knows that the phrase has a negative connotation, but she wanted to create a relatable work.
“I wanted something that would touch every household, not just mine,” she says.
Made up of a variety of geometric shapes, the image is — intentionally — heavily pixelated to give a retro feel, harking back to a time when typography wasn’t exact. In the center, a suitcase is wide open, with components based on what Almutairi found among her father’s belongings spilling out. The camel pictures, for instance, are based on images she took with her father on a trip.
“He has his whole life in this suitcase,” she says. “I see my father’s life scattered throughout this poster.”
