Portrait by Darkroom Amman, December 2020.
Hussein Alazaat Bio:
Short Bio
Hussein Alazaat is a multidisciplinary designer and Arabic calligraphy artist who founded ALAZAAT Studio in Amman, serving clients across diverse industries globally. His design and art projects embody research, authenticity, and the essence of Arab identity. Hussein launched "ELHARF," a platform hosting cultural and design initiatives. The notable "ELHARF House" in Amman showcases educational activities, design products, and sources of Arab visual inspiration. Additionally, "ELHARF Publications" aspiring to showcase the Arabic book making craft with unparalleled excellence within the realm of independent publishing.
حسين الأزعط: مصمم متعدد التخصصات وفنان حروفي عربي، أسس "ستوديو الأزعط" في عمّان، ومنه يقدّم خدماته إلى طيف واسع من العملاء في مختلف الصناعات حول العالم. يستند الأزعط في مشاريعه التصميمية والفنية على البحث والأصالة وحتمية صياغة الهوية العربية في كافة الحلول والمنتجات المقدمة. أطلق حسين مؤسسته "الحـَرف" وهي منصة لعدة مشاريع ثقافية وتصميمية منها مساحة "بيت الحَرف" والتي يقدم فيها النشاطات التعليمية والمنتجات التصميمية والتعريف بمصادر الإلهام البصري العربي، وكذلك “منشورات الحـَرف” كتجربة جديدة تطمح لصناعة الكتاب العربي بأجود صورة في عالم النشر المستقل.
Full Bio
Hussein Alazaat is a multi-disciplinary designer, instructor, Arabic calligraphy artist, and typography enthusiast from Jordan. He founded ALAZAAT Studio in Amman and offers his services to various clients in diverse industries around the world. He focuses on using research as a tool to empower his belief in the utilization of Arabic letters in brands and products, and emphasizes an Arabian contemporary treatment in his visual solutions.
He was influenced by the late Egyptian designer and artist Mohieddien El-Labbad and his children books projects. In his design space in Amman, he is accumulating a vital chronicle of Arab publications and rare prints that serve the purpose of archiving and sharing knowledge's aspirations.
Through the past years, Hussein has conducted several workshops in calligraphy and design, and lectured for schools and universities in Jordan and abroad. He also exhibited his projects and artworks in various art galleries and international design events.
Hussein launched "ELHARF," a platform hosting cultural and design initiatives. The notable "ELHARF House" in Amman showcases educational activities, design products, and sources of Arab visual inspiration. Additionally, "ELHARF Publications" aspiring to showcase the Arabic book making craft with unparalleled excellence within the realm of independent publishing.
In 2012, he co-founded 'Wajha', a social/cultural/design initiative to help small businesses and shop owners in need of free-of-charge branding works for their shops.
He graduated from Amman Graphic Arts School and earned a Graphic Design Diploma from London Art College via distance learning.
حسين الأزعط مصمم متعدد التخصصات، مدرّب وفنان حروفي عربي، أسس “ستوديو الأزعط للتصميم” في عمّان ومنه يقدّم خدماته إلى طيف واسع من العملاء في مختلف الصناعات حول العالم. يستند حسين للبحث العلمي في مشاريعه ويؤمن بقوة الخط العربي كعنصر رئيسي في مشاريعه الفنية وفي صناعة الهويات البصرية والمنتجات التصميمية المعاصرة.
تلقى إلهامه الأول من كتب ومجلات للأطفال، وتأثر بالمصمم المصري الراحل محيي الدين اللباد. وفي استوديو التصميم الخاص به في عمّان، يجمع حسين أرشيفاً حيوياً من المطبوعات العربية الهامة والنادرة التي يطمح أن تتحول إلى مكتبة رقمية متاحة للجمهور والباحثين بإسم “خزانة الكتب الجميلة”.
يعتمد حسين الأزعط على التجريب والتجريد في أعماله التصميمية والفنية، ومن خلال خبرته في تشريح الحرف العربي الكلاسيكي ينتقل إلى ممارسات حداثية في حت وتعرية الحرف واكتشاف كوامنه الدفينة، وخاصة في التطبيقات الطباعية للحرف. عرض الأزعط أعماله في عدة صالات ومساحات وفعاليات فردية ومشتركة، وكذلك توجد أعماله الحروفية في مجموعات خاصة في عدة دول حول العالم.
أطلق حسين مؤسسته "الحـَرف" وهي منصة لعدة مشاريع ثقافية وتصميمية منها مساحة "بيت الحَرف" والتي يقدم فيها النشاطات التعليمية والمنتجات التصميمية والتعريف بمصادر الإلهام البصري العربي، وكذلك “منشورات الحـَرف” كتجربة جديدة تطمح لصناعة الكتاب العربي بأجود صورة في عالم النشر المستقل.
شارك حسين في تأسيس “واجهة”، وهي مبادرة تصميم اجتماعية/حضرية لمساعدة الحرفيين وأصحاب المتاجر الصغيرة ممن هم بحاجة إلى علامات تجارية لمحلاتهم مجاناً، وكذلك لتجميل الشوارع العربية ونشر ثقافة التصميم الجيّد.
تخرج حسين من مدرسة الفنون الطباعية في عمّان، وحاصل على إجازة بالتصميم الطباعي من كلية لندن للفنون عبر الدراسة عن بعد.
Recent activities:
Typography designer of the 5th edition of the Jordanian Banknotes, December 2022
Training Saudi designers to create visual identities for small shops at the Dhahran area, October 2022
Featured artist at the Arabic calligraphy exhibition, Sharjah, October 2022
Sculpture at the Palace Beach Resort, Fujairah, September 2022
Leading the design project of branding the Downtown area of Al-Khobar, July 2022
Installation at Darat Al Funun, Amman, March 2022
Sculpture at the Address Beach Resort, Fujairah, December 2021
Installation at the National Museum, Riyadh, June 2021
Arabic calligraphy workshop at Deerfield Academy, MA, May 2021
Lecture at the Type Directors Club Conference, NY, May 2021
Juror at the German Jordanian University, Amman, April 2021
Lecture at the American University of Beirut, January 2021
Social Design workshop, Misk Art Week, Jeddah, December 2020
Lecture at American University of Cairo, December 2020
Arabic calligraphy workshop at New York University of Abu Dhabi, November 2020
Mentorship program at the Shoman Foundation, Amman, October 2020
Installation at the Hyatt Regency, Aqaba, February 2020
Social Design Workshop for small shops, Ajman Municipality, January 2020
Showcasing experience:
- November 2010
City language Urban Art Exhibition.
Foresight32 Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan
- October 2011
Arabesque II: Graphic Design from the Arab world and Persia.
Five Featured works
Gestalten Publishers
Berlin, Germany
- September 2012
Space on board - Skateboard Art exhibition.
The Studio, Amman, Jordan
- February 2013
Sufi Calligraphy: Solo Experimental Arabic calligraphy exhibition.
Zara Gallery, Amman, Jordan
- November 2013
Hussein Alazaat Design and Art exhibition.
Kings Academy, Madaba, Jordan.
- September 2016
The Street Letters, Calligraphy on skateboards.
The Hangar, Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
- September 2016
Wajha Installation: The Cube.
The Hangar, Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
October 2017
Packaging design exhibition.
The Hangar, Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
January 2019
Private Art collection.
Royal Hashemite Court, Amman, Jordan.
May 2019
Group exhibition.
Foresight32 Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan.
June 2019
Art symposium and exhibition.
Al-Hussein Park, and Nabad Art Gallery. Amman, Jordan.
September 2019
Calligraphic stairs, public art.
Luwaibdeh area, Amman, Jordan.
October 2019
Exhibition: Of Letters and Coins.
Kabariti Village, Amman, Jordan.
October 2019
Exhibition: Rare Arabic Prints.
ELHARF House, Amman, Jordan.
February 2020
Arabic Calligraphy Installation
The Hyatt Regency, Aqaba, Jordan.
June 2021
Installation: On Letters and Coins
Installation: On Letters and Coins
The National Museum, Riyadh, KSA.
December 2021
Arabic Calligraphy Installation
The Address Hotel, Fujairah, UAE.
March 2022
Jordanian Food Stickers
Darat Al Funun, Amman, Jordan.
September 2022
Arabic Calligraphy Installation
the Palace Beach Resort, Fujairah, UAE.
October 2022
Featured artist at the Arabic calligraphy exhibition
Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE.
Workshops, lectures and teaching experiences:
- February 2013
Arabic Type Design workshop
ABCAD center, Al Manama, Bahrain.
- July 2013
Lecture: Wajha
Amman Art Week, Amman, Jordan.
- October 2013
Arabic typography for design students.
Kings Academy, Madaba, Jordan.
- March 2014
Wajha design workshop and lecture.
Sikka Art Fair, Dubai, UAE
- June 2014
Lecture: Wajha
German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan.
July 2014
Mentor for design students.
Design School Kolding, Denmark.
- May 2014
Experimental Arabic calligraphy workshops.
Kings Academy, Madaba, Jordan.
- January 2015
Arabic calligraphy workshop for Syrian students.
Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey.
- March 2015
Experimental Arabic calligraphy workshop.
Dar Al Hikma University, Jeddah, KSA.
- March 2015
Lecture: Humanitarian Design Business.
Dar Al Hikma University, Jeddah, KSA.
- November 2015
Wajha design workshop.
Nuqat Creative Conference, Kuwait, Kuwait.
- November 2015
Lecture: Copy and Paste Syndrome.
Nuqat Creative Conference, Kuwait, Kuwait.
- September 2016
Lecture: Wajha in the Amman Design week.
Jordan Museum, Amman, Jordan.
- January 2017
Workshop: Wajha in the Heart of Sharjah
1971 Design Space, Sharjah, UAE
- May 2017
Instructor, Arabic Calligraphy semester.
Amman Academy, Amman, Jordan.
May 2017
Mentor for design students.
Ahliya and Mutran school, Amman, Jordan.
- October 2017
Tour: ELHARF Tour of calligraphy and sign-painting craftsmanship.
Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
- October 2017
Workshop: Let's Design Wajhat, design workshop for children.
Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
January 2018
Workshop: Hajj Art for Children.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- January 2018 until now
Continuous calligraphy and design activities.
ELHARF House, Amman, Jordan.
ELHARF House, Amman, Jordan.
May 2018
Jury member for the design graduation projects at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
May 2018
Mentor for design students.
Ahliya and Mutran school, Amman, Jordan.
August 2018
Mentor for design students.
Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
December 2018
Workshop: Designing Tunisian shopfronts.
Maison de l'Image, Tunisia.
April 2018
Mentor for design students.
Amman Design Week, Amman, Jordan.
June 2019
Workshop and lecture for young Syrian refugees.
Istanbul, Turkey.
November 2019
Jury member for the design graduation projects at the German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan.
Lecturer Aalto University, Finland, September 2021
Arabic calligraphy course at Deerfield Academy, MA, May 2021
Lecturer at the Type Directors Club Conference, NY, May 2021
Juror at the German Jordanian University, Amman, April 2021
Lecture at the American University of Beirut, January 2021
Social Design workshop, Misk Art Week, Jeddah, December 2020
Lecturer at American University of Cairo, December 2020
Arabic calligraphy course at New York University of Abu Dhabi, November 2020
Mentorship program at the Shoman Foundation, Amman, October 2020
Social Design Workshop, Ajman Municipality, January 2020
Media links:
- Short interview on Al-Jazeera TV (AR)
- Street talk on the old sign of Amman city (AR)
- Interview: Old Books for Arab Kids (EN)
- Live interview with Roya TV (AR)
With the Council Foundation, France (EN)
AirBNB Magazine (EN)
Interview with A Minute Marvel (AR)
https://vimeo.com/280691841
https://vimeo.com/280691841
Panel Discussion (AR)
Interview with Al-Arabi TV (AR)
Wajha in Amman Design Week (AR)
Wajha in Amman Design Week (AR)
Wajha in Kuwait, Nuqat Conference (AR)
Al Ghad TV (AR)
Interview for Reuters (AR)
Feature in Al-Bayan Newspaper (AR)
Feature in the FastCo Design blog (EN)
Coverage at Qantara (AR+DE)
Interview with Al-Jazeera Magazine (AR)
Interview with the BBC World (EN)
Amman Design Week 2019: Archaeology vs. Scripts
Jordan Script Routes: Connecting Archeology to Contemporary Design | Panel Discussion | Amman Design Week 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeUbNkR4-2w&feature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeUbNkR4-2w&feature=emb_logo