Digitally Scripted
Mothanna Hussein
Mothanna Hussein by Omar Sha3
Mothanna Hussein is a Jordanian-Palestinian artist, co-founder of Workshop Studio, and the Palestinian radio station Radio Al-Hara. He also established Allah1.net, which explores the word “Allah” in various graphic forms. He leads the “Free Palestine” project, an archive of posters from global designers, and creates jewelry, visuals, calligraphy, light, texture, and materials. DIVAZ chatted with Mothanna about his journey and unique vision.
Can you tell us about your background?
I was born in Jordan, but I’m of Palestinian descent and I carry a Palestinian identity. I have many nostalgic memories tied to that land. We were raised with the belief that defending the Palestinian cause was our duty and that we should be fighters because the land was taken from us. Honestly, I didn’t know much about graphic design in high school, but in my second year of university, I began working on brand building in an agency. Later, I established Workshop Studio around the same time as the events in Egypt in 2011. We had an awareness that we wanted to design political posters, either against America or in support of Palestine.
What factors influenced your creative approach?
Initially, I loved designing letters. I especially preferred Vatican fonts because I found them direct and clear, without deception or embellishment. I don’t have a talent for planning, but I loved Arabic calligraphy, especially geometric styles, because they were easier for me. I also love the newspaper script used in old newspapers. My love for this script came from downtown, where old-style Arabic signs still existed — I was happy to see them, especially when they were being removed. We learned to be attached to it as a visual matter, especially since Arabic writing was overshadowed by English. Arabic calligraphy can beautify everything.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced?
I’m not a deep person. When I post work online, I often feel that my development is slow because I don’t speak much. But in the end, this is my way. Maybe if I wrote more, I’d spoil everything.
Why did you choose this artistic path and style?
When we launched a project called “Not Art,” we gathered old drawings. Now, when I look back, I find them beautiful, but they aren’t timeless. At the time, the project was displayed in many places, and it even reached The Washington Post. Before that, we worked on political projects, which had a broad impact and strong feedback. One motivator was that I was working on something related to Gaza from my bedroom while the whole world was seeing it.
How do you choose ideas for new pieces?
This came from a project called “Allah1.net.” When I started working in 3D design, I told myself: I have to write the word “Allah.” What should I write? I won’t write “Peace” or “Love.” There’s nothing more beautiful than “Allah” — it’s not easy, it’s genius. It has four lines, and its shape resembles Eden.
Can you walk us through a day in your creative process?
Sometimes the work requires recycling and restorative processes. The same work is redone in different ways. For instance, when I started with the word “Allah,” I posted it sixty times because people might not grasp the idea at first, so I go back and redo it in a different way.