La valise égyptienne

This two-part artists’ book about a series of small ceramic objects from Egypt deploys an unconventional mix of materials, printing techniques and design approaches to create a charming and well-conceived whole. A semi-transparent plastic bag printed with a welcome message in English and Arabic – evoking a travel souvenir – holds two slim publications in the same small format. The first is a leporello on stiff paper, whose front and back show the front and back of 39 nearly identical ceramic pieces that are formally reminiscent of sarcophagi. The second is a slender book of text bound in dark red leather recounting travels through Egypt, including the extrication of the ceramics, in short diary-style texts with occasional glued-in photographs. By unpacking the two volumes and diving in, readers become part of a performance, sent on a search for the mysterious meaning of the objects. Although the designers made numerous conceptual decisions, they relinquished a great deal of control over production, as the text book was made entirely by hand in an Egyptian printing house. The unidentified materials and the inconsistent quality of the glued-in images convey a sense of authentic handicraft and also present as contemporary by eschewing standardised notions of beauty. All in all, this is an attractive ‘Egyptian suitcase’ that plays with many popular notions and clichés about Egypt.

Editors
Noha Mokhtar, Zürich (CH); Lucas Uhlmann, Lausanne (CH)

Author
Noha Mokhtar, Zürich (CH)

Design
Huber/Sterzinger, Zürich (CH)

Printing
Institut français d’archéologie orientale, Le Caire (EG);
Offsetdruckerei Karl Grammlich GmbH, Pliezhausen (DE); Tricolor,
Adliswil (CH)

Publisher
Edition Hors-Sujet, Zürich (CH)

ISBN
978-2-9594177-0-2