Born out of a desire to unravel the stories hidden within Cairo’s meandering streets, Archief is a platform for creatives taking a deep dive into Arabic type and archives. Since its founding in 2017, Archief has seen an increase in interest among young artists, designers, and writers to discover the beauty of the cultural landmine that is Cairo. Wrestling with the urban jungle, these creatives find gems amid the scraps left discarded in Cairo’s streets. Archief offers opportunities for designers to enter a state of self-discovery by inspiring them with stories told by the smallest of objects and images scattered around Cairo.
Archief’s latest works are organized in the form of a zine—a small circulation of self-published work crafted with original works or appropriated texts/images created by an individual or a small group of people. Previously, Archief held the ‘Al Makhtout’ workshop under @100bestarabicposters in collaboration with @warehouse421 where they featured the works of five artists who drafted inspiration from a collection of Islamic manuscripts. After a session brimming with creativity and innovation, the first zine was created and printed using Riso, from @CairoPrintClub.
As interest continues to brew and more talents come forward, Archief is about to drop their second zine soon. Keep a close eye out for ‘Archief: Cairo Edition’, harnessing the collaborative efforts of some of Cairo’s most creative designers. The featured designers showcase their journey of self-exploration with untold stories brought to life with splashes of color and eccentric designs.
