27 years of waiting..

As I’m always saying; my first design instructor was Mohie El Deen El Labbad, the late artist, designer, and cartoonist–or as he liked to be called: A Book Maker!

I started reading the Labbad articles in Majed magazine, at the age of 8 and 9, he had a weekly article on art, design thinking, graphic design, art critique, visual understanding, culture, and identity re-forming, all for children’s readers. Of course, he was a pioneer, and I’m sadly saying; I’m not sure if there is anyone still practicing this conviction at the present time.

He launched several series, each having one title and one theme, in this article from 1988, he wrote under the title “The Beautiful Books’ Trove – خزانة الكتب الجميلة” a review on something he admired a lot; the Arab Arts. The catalog was published by The Freer Gallery of Art, at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museums in Washington, 1975.

As Labbad always does, he enlightens some areas to the child’s eyes, he was talking here about the beautiful old jar from Iraq, describing the woman’s dress and imagining what she was holding in her hands? I was back then a little boy, and I hardly wished to view and read the original book and enjoy looking at more pieces from our own art.

Years passed quickly, and while browsing my archive a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this article again after 27 years, I immediately looked it up on the internet, and ordered one from an American bookseller for really a good price, then I have it in my hands, in my archive!