Almond Blossoms and Beyond
2018 | Publication Design, Arabic Typography, Photography
Almond Blossoms and Beyond (original Arabic title: كزهر اللوز أو أبعد) is a collection of poems written by Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish. In my interpretation, I focus on the last four poems: Exile I, II, III and IV, in which Darwish explores exile, identity conflict, leaving and returning, the in-between, and the notion of home. I wanted to connect his words to what we experience as Lebanese people, and to the identity conflicts that emerge within our fragmented society.
I used photographs of old, abandoned building in Beirut as a symbol of our loss and grief. The text is placed in-between the pages, referencing a growing internal identity crisis. The book can be experienced in different ways: through the photographs alone, the text alone, or both—becoming an interactive object.
Format: 21 x 15 cm
Student Project | American University of Beirut
