Modernist Indignation
by Cairobserver for the
London Design Biennale

Modernist Indignation was Egypt’s contribution to the London Design Biennale in 2018, in response to the theme of ‘emotional States’. The installation recreated a fictional 1939 exhibition put on by the editors of Al Emara, the first Arabic-language design magazine focused on contemporary architecture in Egypt. Al Emara (published 1939 - 1959), was founded by architect Sayed Karim and aimed to invigorate Egypt’s architectural culture by recording constructions and promoting modern design. It also served to make Egypt’s contemporary architecture visible to the international community.

Despite its historical and cultural significance, the magazine, as well as Egypt’s embrace of modernism, remain on the periphery of design and architectural histories, a position that enables the erasure of this heritage. Karim - dubbed the ‘flying architect’ for his urban and architectural projects across the Middle East - fell out of political favour in the early 1960s under Nasser’s increasingly authoritarian regime. His career was practically terminated when his architectural office was confiscated, and he was placed under sequestration in 1964. Hundreds of modernist buildings have been demolished in recent years because of the lack of a legal status recognizing and protecting twentieth century design. [excerpted from the exhibition’s press release by curator Mohamed ElShahed]

The logo and identity draw from Al Emara magazine’s distinctive typography: the typeface designed for the word ‘Modernist’ is based on the magazine’s English logo type. The soft teal and pink colors used throughout the signage come from the magazine’s cover designs over the years. And finally the icon with the strike-through frame references the demolition of the many modernist buildings lost to newer construction ambitions as well as the erasure of Egypt’s architectural history given the lack of documentation.