In her work, Al-Mutawakel explores Socotra\u2019s endangered flora.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nThis project clearly carries cultural and personal weight. How do you handle critique when the work is tied to your heritage?<\/strong>
<\/strong>I\u2019ve definitely noticed that I take critique way more personally when it\u2019s a topic I\u2019m invested in. For example, I did a branding project last year where I wasn’t as attached. So, I took the critique a lot more gracefully. But when you’re dealing with conceptual and critical thinking about your own culture, it feels like a critique of your opinion rather than just your work. You just have to remember the professors are here to help; they want you to make the best version of your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo how do you move past that initial sting of critique and refine the work?<\/strong>
<\/strong>I usually just try to take a step back and reflect on it. I\u2019ve learned to separate me from the work, even when the work is about my identity. I try to see the feedback as a tool to make the message clearer for the audience. If I want people to understand my culture, I have to be open to hearing how they currently perceive it. Then, I integrate those notes into the next iteration.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow has studying in the UAE shaped the way you approach a project like this?<\/strong>
<\/strong>In a place with this much diversity, you learn how much you actually have in common with other cultures. It has helped me feel more comfortable in my own identity because everyone is so different that being different” is actually embraced. I\u2019ve been able to express my Yemeni identity a lot more here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWorking on a concept heavy project like this can be mentally demanding. If you ever find yourself stuck at 3 a.m. in the studio, what helps you reset?<\/strong>
<\/strong>Well, first of all, at 3 a.m. the studio is closed (Laughs). But generally, when I\u2019m stuck, I think it\u2019s important to take a break. I\u2019m a big believer in work-life balance. I think you need to step away, talk to people outside of uni, take a walk, read a book, or just watch a show. You need to take a breather.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat was your favorite course at AUS, and how did it shape the way you approach this project?<\/strong>
<\/strong>Even though I\u2019m a design student, my favorite was actually a curatorial practice course with Professor Christina Bonin. I\u2019m heavily interested in curation. I loved the focus on critical and social theory and how that relates to creating exhibitions. I think it\u2019s vital to think critically when working with content, especially when dealing with cultural or political material. It\u2019s also just fascinating to learn how a design project can be translated into a physical space to communicate a message.Ten years from now, when you look back at your portfolio, what story do you hope this project tells?<\/strong>
<\/strong>I hope it shows someone who was curious and wasn\u2019t afraid to try things without a clear outcome. I want it to reflect a designer who used projects as a way to think, not just to arrive at a polished result. I\u2019d like the work to show a growing awareness of context and responsibility, but also a willingness to take risks and let experimentation lead the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs Layan reflects on her future, it is clear her work is about more than just aesthetics. By turning her lens toward the invisible plants of Socotra, she is ensuring that the complexity of her heritage remains seen and preserved for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Morooj Al-Attas Layan Al-Mutawakel is a 22-year-old Visual Communication student at the American University of Sharjah. Born in Yemen, she is an aspiring curator with a focus on cultural and social theory. Al-Mutawakel is currently exploring a project on Socotra\u2019s endangered flora, aiming to challenge traditional botanical narratives through \u201cexperimental and funky\u201d design. You\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5503,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60,28],"tags":[33,82,34,32],"class_list":{"0":"post-5502","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-feature-articles","8":"category-features","9":"tag-aus","10":"tag-aus-campus","11":"tag-caad","12":"tag-campus"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5502\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mcmmediahub.aus.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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