The UAE Culture and Science Symposium organized a discussion, the first of its kind in the Arab world, entitled ‘The Poster as a Tool for Cultural and Social Communication’. The session was attended by Mohammed Al-Murr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library (MBR); Bilal Al Budoor, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Dr. Salah Al-Qasim, Administrative Director; visual artist Dr. Najat Makki; and a group of specialists and stakeholders. UAE international designer and the first Emirati graphic designer Hisham Al Mazloum, also participated in the symposium.
The discussion was moderated by Egyptian writer and journalist Nasser Iraq who cited that knowledge of poster art may date back to the year 1798 when French military leader Napoleon landed with his 400,000 soldiers and was able to impose his conditions and orders in Egypt through poster drawings.
Al Mazloum touched on the study in graphic design schools, including mastering the basics of design and important techniques, building skill sets, and learning the many elements that produce eye-catching three-dimensional artworks applied in architectural, industrial, fashion, jewelry, and graphic art fields.
He also stated that poster making is a vision and a means of communication. He added that a poster must have a design of artistic quality and answer the basic questions of What? Where? and When?
The Emirati designer also explained that theatre had an important role in the emergence of poster art through theatrical and cinematic advertisements. He also stressed on the influence of political posters, especially dealing with the Palestinian issue, and on the migration of Arab artists that played an important role in developing poster art as a visual expression of new experiences.
Artist Khalid Al Jallaf defined ‘poster’ as a printed advertisement for public attention. The aim of any poster is to draw public attention, and this clearly depends on the experience of the designer in addition to his talent. Al Jallaf added that the diversity of Arabic vocabulary fonts gives Arabic calligraphy its distinct beauty.
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