there is no hope

'ma fee amal' (gif) . 2024

'ma fee amal' zine (pink) . 2024

here's my first new project for the start of the new year! i've been wanting to work on this zine for quite some time, and i finally got a chance to do it. 'ma fee amal', arabic for 'there is no hope', is a zine of illustrated facial expressions of the insane, the unstable, the hopeless! it represents the many absurd facial expressions encountered when viewing stories by people on social media – delusional folk who'd do anything to gain attention for a few minutes of online fame.

i also think it's a zine of the times – where emotional hysteria is at an all time high. there's a tendency to overshare how we feel, constantly posting online about personal highs and lows, using social media as a space to manage unresolved emotions.

most importantly, it's a zine for laughs. i hope readers can relate to the humour, and perhaps recognise some of the crazy facial expressions made by those we encounter on our digital screens.

'ma fee amal' is now available, and will shortly make it's way around shops and fairs so stay tuned for announcements. if you're dying to get your hands on one right now, please reach out! 'ma fee amal' is printed in pink and also in white for you to choose from.

ending this post with a big thank you to the face(s) of hopelessness that inspired this zine.

shout out to khalid the dancer

the dancer . 2023

hope everyone's year has been off to a good start...

i've jumped straight into 2024 with lots of catch ups with loved ones old and new, starting on new projects, and preparing for a few upcoming talks and presentations. i'm also taking advantage of the good weather by walking or taking public transport. it's been great experiencing the city on foot and not just from behind the windshield of my car. another thing i'm doing quite a lot of is dancing, taking the opportunity to dance as much as i can before ramadan in march.

if there are any first time visitors to my blog, please bear witness to my love for dance! the illustration above is from an earlier project that didn't get approved. it encapsulates the joy i have when on the dance floor. my relationship with the dance floor has been ongoing since my late teens/early twenties. from tagging along with my older sisters, to partying hard with friends in my carefree twenties, to gaining the courage to going out alone in my early thirties – i feel free and happiest when on the dance floor and under a disco ball. and oh how many times have i danced my pain and sorrows away...

as someone who generally dislikes people, dancing amongst strangers (and friends) is quite enjoyable. it is on the dance floor where i've met some of my favourite people, and also where i've received so much love from strangers commenting on my dancing. just to be clear, i've never taken a dance class, or claim to be a professional dancer. i guess my love for music has gifted me with rhythm! if you frequent spaces in town that play afrobeats, dancehall, soca, r'n'b, disco, house, or pure pop, you'll probably find me dancing on my own. if you spot me, come say hi!

stay tuned for where this illustration might go – i see it printed on t-shirts, perhaps a way of commemorating the myth of 'khalid the dancer'. there's something iconic about it, like the many tees of my favorite pop stars that i adorn myself with.