Beyond the Arabesque — Amina Rahal

“…One of the significant features of Islamic art is that it introduces the viewer to different ways of perceiving art.” While Contemporary Arab Art draws from elements of Islamic Art, the challenge in this project was to create a visual identity that feels contemporary without adhering to traditional interpretations of Islamic Art. This led to the creation of the Beyond the Arabesque Project.

BEMA is a museum project that was still under construction at the time. For my Final Project, I developed the visual communication and strategy for Modern Arab Art. I created a flexible and dynamic identity that represents the unity of Arab diversity through universal cultural codes, while preserving the essence and mission of this cultural institution.

The Arabic language serves as the unifying element in this branding project, embodying the idea of Arab culture and perception. I explored various ways to use and transform Arabic letters to craft a distinctive Arab visual identity.

Here are some logo variations used across different applications for visual communication. Each variation was tailored to suit specific contexts while maintaining a consistent visual identity.

The stationery design is dynamic and flexible, while maintaining a minimalistic approach to ensure a clean and cohesive visual identity.

Opening Poster Design for the Beirut Museum of Art.

Poster design for different exhibition events: Conflict in Unity, Art and Identity, and lastly Bullets and Art.

The website design follows a one-page layout, maintaining a minimal and dynamic feel throughout for a seamless and engaging user experience.

Mobile application design in both Arabic and English Language.