Tiba’a Conference: AUK’s Role in Expanding the Boundaries of Printmaking

The Creative Printmaking Conference in Kuwait returned for its second year, offering an appealing exploration of printmaking as a medium for experiential and experimental artistic expression. This year’s theme, OASIS, was intentionally broad, allowing participants the freedom to envision and interpret concepts beyond the traditional boundaries of printmaking—embracing revelation, imagination, retreat, landscape extension, engagement, impressions, cultural convergence, rhythmic clutter, and the dynamic relationship between prints and cultures. 
 
Dr. Fahad Al-Dhawi, assistant professor of graphic design served as the design lead and visual identity designer for the conference; he worked alongside a talented team of students, Mohammad Al-Osaimi (intern) and design student, Areni Aghob. Together, they developed the social media posters, schedules, merchandise items of the conference, ensuring a cohesive and impactful presence across all touchpoints. In addition to branding, they also designed the official conference catalog, reflecting the essence of OASIS through thoughtful composition, materiality, and typographic expression. 
 
The Department of Art & Graphic Design hosted the first and second rounds of lectures at the AUK theater, while the main workshops were held at MOMA. Keynote speakers, artists, designers, and visionaries shared their journeys, offering fresh perspectives and critical insights into the evolving landscape of printmaking. The Department became a central hub for the intersection of thought and academic discussion on printmaking and its broader implications. Several faculty members from within the Department contributed to the lecture series, each bringing their unique perspective on the subject matter: 
 

 
These lectures not only deepened the understanding of printmaking but also brought meaningful dialog to the fore, positioning the Department and University at an interdisciplinary space for creative exploration, cultural dialog, and the continuous evolution of printmaking as a contemporary artistic practice.
 
 
 

Conference delegates at a printmaking workshop
   

Dr. Fahad Al-Dhawi speaking at the conference
  

Group photo of the conference speakers and attendees