AfterWords, an exchange featuring creative works of graphic design alumni from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, is now taking place simultaneously at both universities and will run until 1 November.

The exhibition at VCUarts Qatar features works by young designers from NTU, while the one in Singapore exhibits designs by VCUarts Qatar alumni. Both shows are free and open to the public.

VCUarts Qatar alumni Roudah Alsheeb, Mashael Al Baker, Naima Almajdobah, Noof Alkhenji, and Sara AlHelal have their posters displayed at NTU while designs by Ayesha Jumari, Celia Yew, Chew Ziling, Sylvia Low, Wee Yen, Lee Qiu Wen and Whitney Ng from NTU can be viewed at VCUarts Qatar.

The exhibition opening at VCUarts Qatar was attended by the Ambassador of Singapore to Qatar, HE Jai S Sohan. Participating NTU alumni and organisers joined their counterparts for the opening in Doha via Zoom.

Designs by VCUarts Qatar are on display at NTU in Singapore. (Image courtesy of Louis Philippe Demers)

Celebrating the power of design

According to the organisers of AfterWords, the works highlighted in this exchange open the door to dialogue and inclusion and celebrate the power of design as a tool for international knowledge sharing.

Explaining the idea behind the exhibition and the significance of such opportunities to students and alumni of VCUarts Qatar, Graphic Design student and AfterWords curator Fae Siddiqui, said that learning at VCUarts Qatar is community-centred. She said that the exhibition opens the door to students and alumni to gain an understanding of how other cultures use design to express their perspectives on social phenomena.

For instance, an appreciation of the nuances that influence societal behaviour in Southeast Asia or the use of Mandarin typography in design is fairly new to our community at VCUarts Qatar.

At the same time, she said that it’s wonderful to see how creatives in Doha and Singapore – two cities that are home to different nationalities from all over the world – share so much in common in terms of harnessing the power of design for the conservation of culture and heritage.

Fae Siddiqui worked with Associate Professor Law Alsobrook and VCUarts Qatar Graphic Design Department Chair Astrid Kensinger, and with Desmond Pang and Oh Soon-Hwa from NTU, to organise the exhibition.

VCUarts Qatar is a partner university of Qatar Foundation


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