By Tarek Atrissi

Water bottle packaging for the El Hema Oasis Desert water.

El Hema, the Arabic fictive (yet real) version of the famous Dutch HEMA department store, is back again this year, with an exhibition (or rather a store) in Rotterdam. El Hema, originally an idea of Mediamatic, was organized this year through cosmopolis, in collaboration with the brand hotel, and we were glad at Tarek Atrissi Design to be commissioned for the design of the main graphic and information design work involved in the project.

Above: Preview of the visual identity of El Hema, basis of the design work developed. The identity witnessed some minor adjustments, based on new briefings and some new changes in the HEMA identity; It built further on the identity developed by the Mediamatic Design team of Amsterdam 2007. The Square El Hema Version logo was back then design by Wael Morkos.

In 2007, the first El Hema project in Amsterdam organized by Mediamatic took an incredible press attention and was a big success: It was simply very unconventional to see a brand that is so Dutch, HEMA, taking a small twist and becoming in an Arabic form. A simple idea that reflects much more on the highly debated cross cultural integration and communication in the Netherlands. In 2007, we designed at Tarek Atrissi Design the Arabic logo of El Hema, working the Arabic lettering version to match the simple straight forward typographic Latin logo.

Above: Images of several items of the new El Hema collection, mostly typographic design solutions for intercultural concepts and ideas.

This year, with the concept slightly changed and a new wider line of products, our work mostly focused on the design of new products (Fashion and kitchen items), as well as a lot of packaging design for food and non food products, and retail and store interior design. We had a new briefing that slightly differed from the first concept we knew: As a successful idea, El Hema was carried as a concept to reinforce the richness of the intercultural living in Holland; but mostly was developed to be a successful business model, generating profit through sales of its unique products in order to support the grow of the collection, and the move the of the El Hema exhibition to other major cities in the Netherlands. The strongly cultural initial essence of the concept, had to be then combined with a business viability that will insure its continuous sustainability.

Artwork preview of some of the food products packaging. Shown above the Ksar Bahia and Musar wine Label design, as well as the Chocolate packaging.

Most of the items were very interesting to work on: Graphic and Typographic solution for wine labels, chocolate packaging, water bottles, Duo umbrellas (with fairuz’s famous rain song), imported food, and much more; all with an intercultural twist. The focus remained on making a balance between the initial El Hema identity and drawing a parallel line with the real HEMA look- that has changed a lot over the last year with the introduction of a revised look and feel.

Images and impressions from the actual El Hema Exhibition & store in Rotterdam.

El Hema project seems to always come with its own challenges and problematic issues. Amsterdam’s mediamatic exhibition was faced by an initial unpleasant reaction from the Dutch Hema department store. This year, the difficulties were faced by the fact that many organizations and parties were involved in the project, and not all of them shared necessarily the same vision on some key issues for the El Hema brand, particularly that the concept has moved from its initial “home”. Not to mention of course an incredible short deadline, by which an entire department store had to be designed!

By Tarek Atrissi

Promotional posters of the exhibitions across the streets of Amsterdam

The Opening of our Exhibition “Arabic Graphics: the work of Tarek Atrissi in Exhibition” took place on the 2nd of May 2008 - in the presence of the Lebanese ambassador of the Netherlands Zaydan El Sagir- and will be on display through the summer at the The Delevante Foundation gallery in Amsterdam. The initial scheduled end of the exhibition on June 22nd has been extended until the 31st of August. For us at Tarek Atrissi Design, this marked the end of a lot of work and preparations for the exhibition, accompanied with the launch of our new website, but was certainly a great recognition to have in The Netherlands; and a chance to review and organize a lot of our work developed over the last 10 years. The opening of the Exhibition was as well a memorable reunion of friends, family, colleagues, clients, and people who has supported me as a designer and supported us as a design studio, in an ongoing exciting entrepreneurial business experience that started back in 2000.

From the Opening of “Arabic Graphics: The work of Tarek Atrissi in Exhibition”.

Seeing a “3 Dimensional portfolio space” is definitely exciting on its own; yet the pre-preparation process phase was in itself even more exciting. We have spent a lot of time exploring design possibilities for the exhibition poster and promotional material- and eventually were delighted to see the poster across the streets of Amsterdam: Adding an Arabic fingerprint across the city; and contrasting in its bright colors and simple design treatment with the rest of the posters on display at the time.

The Delevante Gallery which hosted the Exhibition- shown above the Poster design mural and some of the Arabic Typography and Type Design showcased work.

Though usually I consider myself a good speaker, I have been taken by surprise to add few words to the introduction speech and - probably because of the very personal aspect of this event- failed to articulate well and thank many of the people who helped in the exhibition. Paul Klok, Azza Alameddine and Diana Hawatmeh for putting so much efforts the last two month before the Expo; Fred van Eijk for a wonderful introduction speech; The entire Delevante team for believing all the way in their cultural mission; The sponsors of the exhibition (Gemeente Amsterdam, ArteGanza, Eutopia, Stichting Doen); All the friends and colleagues that came a long way to be part of the show; As well as Annahar Newspaper, for reviewing our work so positively across the years.

From the Opening of “Arabic Graphics: The work of Tarek Atrissi in Exhibition”.

It was a chance to celebrate our designs, yet most importantly, an occasion to look at the bigger picture of the work we are doing and have been producing, and reflecting on the future of our design practice.

By Tarek Atrissi

“Arabic Graphics: The work of Tarek Atrissi in Exhibition” will be the title of the Graphic and Typographic exhibition opening in Amsterdam on May 2nd, and staying on display until the end of June. The exhibition is hosted by Stichting De Levante, the leading institute in Oriental art and culture in Holland. It will exhibit a selection of our Graphic Design work at Tarek Atrissi Design, often distinguished by a strong Arabic and cross cultural flavor.

Promotional poster for the Exhibition opening in Amsterdam on May 2nd

Needless to say, getting such a recognition here in the Netherlands is very exciting; For long our exposure was- oddly enough- mostly international, and less local. But the last two years in Holland have witnessed a great interest in cross cultural design work which became a reflection of the ever changing multi-cultural society of the Netherlands; and which is considered by many to be the new cosmopolitan face of Dutch Design. More on the exhibition, our preparation for it, and its outcomes to be posted soon on this blog. Meanwhile more on the exhibition can be seen on the expo’s website at www.arabicgraphics.com