Mouneer Al-Shaarani — Against the Grain: Exploring the Scope of the Arabic Letter

By Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès and Nagla Samir Mouneer Al-Shaarani is a prolific and highly acclaimed Syrian calligrapher and designer. Born on September 6, 1952, in Salamiya, Syria, Al-Shaarani began his calligraphic apprenticeship at a young age, with Syrian master calligrapher Muhammad Badawi Al-Dirani (1894–1967). After 1967, and in parallel with his studies, he practiced calligraphy as sign-painter and created lettering for billboard advertising and other design commissions. He was a member of the first graduating class from the Graphic Design program at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Kulliyat al-Funūn) in Damascus University, studying under eminent design pioneer Abdelkader Arnaout (1936–1992), graduating in 1977. This book intends to shed light on Al-Shaarani’s prolific graphic design practice and his unique visual language, tracing the tumultuous life of Al-Shaarani, his serial migrations and their effect on his work. The volume presents a clear vision of Mouneer Al-Shaarani’s willin