Parallels // Maher Sinjary

Parallels // Maher Sinjary

GRAPHIC DESIGNER // MAHER SINJARY

Selected works of Maher Sinjary

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

Parallels // Maher Sinjary

INSTITUTION // ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSIT Y

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

2

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

4

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

Parallels // Maher Sinjary

GRAPHIC DESIGNER // MAHER SINJARY

INSTITUTION // ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSIT Y

Keeping my Kurdish roots intact yet embracing American culture and learning from my experiences

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

2

Copyright Š 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without express permission from Maher Sinjary.

Introduction It started with a decision I made after two years of thinking that I wanted to go back home when I graduated. I changed my mind after going through a transition from Kurdistan to California and finding myself a better fit in San Francisco, with better opportunities and a future for my career. Keeping my Kurdish roots intact yet embracing American culture and learning from my experiences, I draw inspiration from the parallels in my two cultures. So, yes I want to control my destiny and change my path.

3

Contents

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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ch.01

Looking for Bliss

ch.02

Wandering Without Baggage

ch.03

Eyeing the Lamina

Martin Scorsese Film Festival Page 10-41

Rebranding Blackberry Page 42-69

Mobile UI/UX Design Page 70-85

ch.04

Making a Difference

ch.05

Thinking of the Future

ch.06

Breaking Rules in Type

Kleenex Tissue Packaging Page 16-26

The Future of Herbal Medicine Page 16-26

GQ Magazine Redesign Page 16-26

5

ch.07

Sharing for Men and Women

ch.08

Expressing myself in Type

ch.09

Seeking for Independence

Calvin Klein Display Unit Page 16-26

Sinjary Typeface Page 106-113

Asawar Thesis Project Page 114-131

Looking For Bliss

6

I was asked to choose a film director and create a film festival.

In order to create a theme for the festival I had to find a thread, that connects the chosen films together with my concept, and had to design a visual system and products. Martin Scorsese was the director of my choice. “The Bliss of Vice� was the title for the festival; I chose the four films that were connected somehow

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.01

to my thread, which were The Wolf of Wall Street, Casino, Goodfellas, and Mean Streets. Every single piece of design in this project had to be linked to my thread, which was based on self-destruction, so the visual language I chose was torn paper. I used the language that reflects the project and the festival voice.

7

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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9

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

10

Selected Logo Refinements

11

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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13

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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15

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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17

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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19

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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21

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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23

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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25

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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27

I N T E G R AT E D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

INSTRUCTOR // CHRISTOPHER MORLAN

THE BLISS OF VICE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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29

30

Wandering without Baggage The assignment was to find a defunct or dying brands and give it another look and voice, not only by changing their logo or visual language, but also by finding a new path for the brand.

I chose Blackberry and gave it a new look by focusing on privacy and keeping information secure. The new Blackberry not only makes cell phones but also secures your personal data.

Confidentiality was the mission of the approach of this project

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.02

carried out by hosting events and gatherings to learn more about privacy. We aim to keep information secure and have it all in one place, where the user decides how to share them it others. The new Blackberry has extra protection filters to keep you aware of not sharing personal information in public, and it gives you the privilege of making the decision.

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T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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33

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

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Logo Mark Variations

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

Logotype Variations

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T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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37

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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39

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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41

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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43

MAHER SINJARY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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45

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

M R YJ A R Y MAAHHE RE RS I NSJ IAN

M F A MP F OR A L L/E/L SP A R A L L E L S A T FPOOL IROT/F/ OPLA RI O

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47

TTHH E EN AT F E I D EON F T I TIYD E N T I T NUARTE UO R

Y

INSTRUCTOR M M/E/R H U N T E R I N/ /S HT URNUT ECRT W OI R

R EM BR WIM EARN D I N G BLACKBERRY

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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49

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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51

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

52

Eyeing the Lamina The assignment was to come up with an unusual concept to create an App, and create wireframes. User testing was followed by actual screen designs and prototypes for every step and I created different sections for the application and identified the audience. I worked on my selected idea, which had to do with privacy. I called it Stratum, which allows users to have a transparent layer on their phone screens. As we receive private emails and

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.03

text messages, we don’t usually want to share them with other people, strangers on the bus or even friends and family. The idea is so simple and handy, whenever you are viewing private information on your cellphone and you don’t want others to see, you simply turn on the Stratum App, which is visible on the phone system, then you decide what percentage of transparency you want to prevent others from seeing this information.

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N AT U R E O F I N T E R AC T I O N

INSTRUCTOR // ANNE KITZMILLER

MOBILE UI/UX DESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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55

N AT U R E O F I N T E R AC T I O N

INSTRUCTOR // ANNE KITZMILLER

STRATUM

MOBILE UI/UX DESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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57

N AT U R E O F I N T E R AC T I O N

INSTRUCTOR // ANNE KITZMILLER

MOBILE UI/UX DESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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59

N AT U R E O F I N T E R AC T I O N

INSTRUCTOR // ANNE KITZMILLER

MOBILE UI/UX DESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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61

N AT U R E O F I N T E R AC T I O N

INSTRUCTOR // ANNE KITZMILLER

MOBILE UI/UX DESIGN

62

Making a Difference I was asked to design a Kleenex tissue box with a new concept and a unique form, which doesn’t look like traditional tissue boxes in shape or form, and also targets the audience that would consume the products. After exploring different concepts and going through several sketches I decided to create gold and silver blocks as the shape of the Kleenex box, so consumers could use it at work and at home without hiding it away.

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.04

I gave it a luxury look and feel by choosing a very specific paper and design that conveys the idea of richness, keeping in mind that it has to cost no more than $1 USD. To keep the boxes looking like a set, I created two gold boxes and two silver that contain 160 double ply tissues using only black type and graphics that could work in different luxury environments.

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PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR // MICHAEL OSBORNE

KLEENEX TISSUE PACKAGING

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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65

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR // MICHAEL OSBORNE

KLEENEX TISSUE PACKAGING

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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67

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR // MICHAEL OSBORNE

KLEENEX TISSUE PACKAGING

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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69

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR // MICHAEL OSBORNE

KLEENEX TISSUE PACKAGING

70

Thinking of the Future The assignment started by picking a topic and creating a chapbook of 16 pages, then extending it to a bigger size of book with at least 100 pages. The challenge was that the topic I chose for my chapbook was switched with another student and I got a new concept for the extended book from another student. My initial chapbook idea was about the future of cell phones,

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.05

but what I ended up with was the future of medicine, which was fine. I converted the idea to herbal medicine so it would be closer to what I would enjoy designing. The photography and typography style were meant to show the future of herbal medicine, and I worked hard to make sure it didn’t look classic.

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T YPE SYSTEMS

INSTRUCTOR // DAVID HAKE

THE FUTURE OF HERBAL MEDICINE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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T YPE SYSTEMS

INSTRUCTOR // DAVID HAKE

THE FUTURE OF HERBAL MEDICINE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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T YPE SYSTEMS

INSTRUCTOR // DAVID HAKE

THE FUTURE OF HERBAL MEDICINE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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T YPE SYSTEMS

INSTRUCTOR // DAVID HAKE

THE FUTURE OF HERBAL MEDICINE

78

Breaking Rules in Type We were asked to redesign a magazine of our choice and use experimental type by breaking some rules and still keeping it engaging for readers. I chose GQ magazine and wanted to give it a more manly feeling by using bold typefaces and solid colors.

We often see that fashion magazines are very feminine, which I’m not against but I just wanted to see how a magazine would look when it’s completely designed for men. I took actual

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.06

articles from a given edition of GQ and manipulated type treatment as well as the way the photos were showcased. In some spreads I created my own artwork with acrylics and combined it with the magazine photos, of course keeping in mind that the type should integrate in a new experimental way.

This is was one of my favorite projects in type.

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TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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81

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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85

TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

86

Sharing for Men and Women The assignment was to come up with a new concept for designing a display unit for cosmetics or fragrances, and not only create the display unit, but the products as well. All elements should work together yet be related to your concept, and implementation should look like a real display unit and products, including labels and boxes. My concept was about creating a display unit for Calvin Klein to sell men’s and women’s perfume together in one package.

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

ch.07

We often see them sold separately, and rarely displayed together, so I thought it would be a way of creating more memories for couples by their sharing these products from the same package.

The idea of the display unit was all about type and I created a unit that has the letters “M” and “W” referring to men and women.

I implemented it on my packaging for the actual products and gave it the same look but different colors to represent each gender.

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PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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89

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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91

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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93

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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95

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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97

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

MAHER SINJARY

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99

PACKAGE DESIGN 2

INSTRUCTOR //MICHAEL OSBORNE

C K D I S P L AY U N I T

100

Expressing Myself in Type For the first time, I was asked to do work on a typography project that I have always wanted to do and never had the chance to work on. Our type experiment instructor gave us the chance to pick any topic or type technique. I always wanted to design a typeface and this was a great opportunity to be able to create my own typeface and be critiqued by a very good typographer who guided me in the right direction to make the typeface look unique

MAHER SINJARY

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ch.08

and clean, yet easy to read. The typeface is called “Sinjary� after my family name. By the end of the class I was able to design all the Caps, which would be mainly for headlines and/or logotype.

After finishing the semester I went back to my typeface and designed all the numbers as well as glyphs then developed it.

Kerning is the main challenge for making a typeface work, especially public use.

101

TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

SINJARY T YPEFACE

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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103

TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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105

TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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TYPE EXPERIMENTS

INSTRUCTOR // IRINA BLOK

GQ MAGAZINE REDESIGN

108

MFA Thesis

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

Asawar supports various ethnic/cultural groups around the world who are struggling to preserve their cultural identity and/or gain international recognition of their independence.

By providing information on the historical and political basis of the struggle for independence of groups such as the Kurds, Palestinians, Basques, Tibetans and others, we seek to connect

Americans to the issues and to create sympathy and understanding for their shared cause: Cultural and political freedom. The center runs cultural events and discussions providing all Americans interested in current international affairs with a better understanding other cultures.

109

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

110

Seeking Independence It’s time to tell you about my thesis project. I was asked to pick a thesis topic to work on for over a year and the topic had to be unique, something that no other students had worked on before.

Plus we were not supposed to know beforehand what the solutions were for any given problem, otherwise, but would have go through intensive research, talk to people and find solutions later on. I picked a topic that is very personal for me and also is a major problem around the globe, which is cultural identity versus political boundaries. I’m focusing on ethnic groups that have been too often defined by others rather than themselves, such as the Kurds, Basques and Palestinians.

MAHER SINJARY

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ch.09

Being a proud Kurd gave me the courage to work on this topic to introduce those nations to Americans by showing their cultures, including music, food, history. One of my main deliverables was an event inviting Americans to engage with the Kurdish culture.

It took place in November 2015 and was a great opportunity to show Americans who the Kurds are and what are they all about.

My goal was to lend a voice to cultural and ethnic groups that are seeking independence and to help Americans and other nationalities understand them and their need for international recognition.

111

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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113

THESIS INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA ASAWAR

Ethnic groups who are struggling to preserve their cultural identity and/or gain international recognition of their independence.

MAHER SINJARY

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115

COUNTRY SPAIN

Basques are fighting for peace in Spain, all they seeking for is the Basque country, they have been trying for the decades with no results.

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

BASQUE give Basques their land, and its causing a lot of

conflicts, but Basques are now learning from Catalonia to be closer to their goal.

THESIS

The Greater Basque region is mostly located in southwest France, but France is not being easy to

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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117

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

118

119

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

120

121

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

Asawar = Heritage

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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123

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

PEOPLE

+

NO LAND 40,000,000

NATION

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

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125

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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127

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

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129

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

130

131

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

MAHER SINJARY

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

132

133

THESIS

INSTRUCTORS // PHIL HAMLETT / ANITRA NOTTINGHAM / BOB SLOTE / ANTHONY JAGODA

ASAWAR

Academy of Art Univeristy, School of Graphic Design

Course:

Senior Portfolio

Instructor:

Mary Scott

Student:

Maher Sinjary

Telephone:

415.8137673

Address:

San Francisco, CA

Email:

info@mahersinjary.com

Website:

www.mahersinjary.com

Book bindery:

Blurb

Photography:

Maher Sinjary, Valentina Sadiul, Nozad Barwari

Title of Book:

Parallels

Cover Stock:

Hardcover image wrap

Text Stock:

Proline uncoated 80

Fonts:

Franklin Gothic

Software:

Adobe Creative Cloud

Copyright:

Š 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without express permission from Maher Sinjary.

MFA PORTFOLIO // PARALLELS

School:

MAHER SINJARY

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135

T H E N AT U R E O F I D E N T I T Y

INSTRUCTOR // HUNTER WIMMER

REBRANDING BLACKBERRY