Title

Chairos: A Yearn for Beauty

Student Status

Undergraduate

Abstract

CHAIROS, the merge of ‘Cairo & Chaos’, is a project which investigates the visual challenges & overwhelming nature of everyday Cairene visual culture. It seeks to pay tribute to beauty through the form of patterns translated onto haute-couture pieces, incorporating messages addressed to subliminal zones in Egyptian peoples’ lives where notions of beauty seem to be lacking. This project initiated with a thesis research which investigated the understanding of the notion of beauty as a broad concept, in order to defend its need as an important element in one’s life. The research embarked in an unveiling procedure to interpret the complexity of the notion through the scope of several disciplines, such as fashion, in order to validate its significance. The research outcome shed light on retrieved findings which seemed to pose problem for the question of beauty in Egypt. To improve current situation, findings confirmed a proposed solution to design a series of couture pieces which would reflect beauty lackings in Egypt as an ultimate goal to defend the need for it. Accordingly, the aim of the project’s application part, was to indulge in uncovering challenging realities of Cairene visual culture through photographing and documenting significant visual material demonstrating the initial thesis problem to serve as robust visual content for the project’s design intervention. The result was to create two haute-couture fashion pieces: a statement coat hinting metaphorical connotations to women’s struggles & a couture dress/gilet subliminally visualizing the chaotic environment we live in. Also, a series of scarves were designed and inspired by pattern/composition designs reflecting stressful realities found on a daily basis in Cairo.

Department

Arts Department

First Advisor

Ahmad Saqfalhait

Second Advisor

Bahia Shehab

Third Advisor

Ghalia Elsrakbi

Committee Member 1

Bassem Yousri

Committee Member 2

Engy Aly

Committee Member 3

Mahamad Khalil

Extent

p.6

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

Comments

This project is part of “ Zoom in Keda- Fourth Graduating Class of Graphic Design Students-The American University in Cairo – Class 2018-2019” catalog. Several global cities have acquired an international rep¬utation as design education hubs by acknowledging the importance of education planning and early learning ex¬periences through providing a structured career path and aligning design skills with the economy’s various needs. Our 8 years old Graphic Design program at the Ameri¬can University in Cairo aims to follow the same strategy, mentoring students on how to channel their creativity and knowledge into reshaping their communities, leaving a positive imprint on their society. Four design segments have been commonly defined in the MENA region’s design sector; namely: Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Industrial/Product Design. The title for the fourth design seniors show was “Zoom in Keda “. As with the previous 3 exhibitions, the title builds on the graphic design language in Egyptian vernacular cul¬ture. “Zoom in Keda” is a commonly used phrase in the de¬sign field, told when one wishes to examine the micro de¬tails of a design on screen. The exhibition was held at the AUC Sharjah Art Gallery on December 2nd, 2018, where bachelor projects completed by the fourth graduating class of Graphic Design students were displayed.

Rights

This record describes an artistic or creative work which was prepared as part of a course of study at the American University of Cairo. The creators retain all rights to the original artistic or creative works described herein.

Publication Date

Fall 12-2-2018

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