al-Jasad
Beyond the fleeting cycles of trends, Zeenah explores adornment as a profound visual language that bridges the personal with the collective. This edition delves into the objects we carry and wear—from the weight of Libyan silver and the intricate stitches of Armenian embroidery to the ancestral symbols woven into Amazigh textiles—positioning them as vital vessels of continuity and memory. By tracing sartorial legacies through family archives and the lived experiences of exile, we examine how craft serves as a tool for both homecoming and the forging of neo-identities. Through a critical lens on cultural exchange and a celebration of protected creativity, Zeenah invites us to see what we wear not merely as outfit and ornament, but as a language of emotion that preserves the richness of our heritage while navigating the complexities of a transnational world.
Hadi Nahleh in Conversation with Ibrahim Nehme
Body, Memory, and Movement
Hadi is a Jordanian curator, choreographer, and movement designer based in Amman, where he has founded Studio 8 and IDEA Festival. His practice moves between performance, ceremony, and interdisciplinary collaboration, and is rooted in an ongoing inquiry into the body as an archive, language, and site of cultural memory.
Interview by Ibrahim Nehme
A Journey in Craft From Palestine to Fez
By Nina Mohammad
The Living Pedagogy of the Wissa Wassef Art Center
By Nour Daher
Transnational Inspiration or Appropriation?
Arab Cultural Exchange & Extraction in Fashion
The histories and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa have long captivated Western explorers, artists, and writers, offering fashion designers a seemingly inexhaustible source of inspiration.
Words by Joelle Firzli
Professor Fatima Sadiqi on Symbols & Weavings
Amazigh Women at the Heart of Tifinagh
Symbols are intricately woven into North African culture: whether in clothing, tapestries, woollen cushions, how they’re etched into Nana’s face tattoos, or their centrality to flags. At first glance, these symbols might seem to be simply beautiful images. But on closer inspection, they speak to the matriarchal structure of Amazigh culture and its understanding of the natural world.
Words by Yasmin Meddour
Tsawwar… Annissa Durar
“I traveled to Sejnane in northern Tunisia to document the women who continue the region’s UNESCO recognized pottery tradition. I visited Sabiha, Lamia, Zohair, and Khadouja in their homes as they shaped each piece by hand using local clay and organic pigments. Their pots and figurines are fired in open flames outside, a method that has been used in Sejnane for generations. During our conversations, they spoke about learning the craft within their families and their hopes for its continuation, even as younger generations show less interest.”
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