Graphic Design Assistant Professor Pornprapha Phatanateacha has recently published two books in collaboration with photographer Hani Nakib. The books are entitled Passage Through Qatar and Charm of the City.
"The photographs contained in the book are wonderful and the sequencing is engaging while formulating a story that captures the narrative." said Muneera Umedaly Spence VCUQ Department Chair for Graphic Design.
The Passage Through Qatar publication series are a collaborative project between photographer Nakib and Phatanateacha. They started the project themselves and self-published their own publications, the aim of the publications was to document Qatar during the time of great change.
"We believe that there was a need for the market in Qatar to produce a photographic book about the country. Our goal was to document and produce the series of Passage Through Qatar." noted Phatanateacha.
After the success of the first book, Phatanateacha and Nakib documented their journey through the rapid changes occuring over the past two years in Qatar to produce Charm of the City. They felt that the development and the growth of the country might replace the traditional lifestyle of the local people. The idea was to present Qatar's past and what they consider as Qatari's identity to the audience. They also wanted to promote an awareness of preservation of the past through the contrast between past and present, even though the country is moving and progressing toward the future, they should cherish the past.
"The purpose of both publications is to create an awareness of Qatari's heritage and environment. In the first book Passage Through Qatar we wanted to capture the essence of Qatari landscapes and to present them in a poetic way, we hope that the local and international audience will appreciate the simplicity and the uniqueness of the natural Qatari landscapes."added Phatanateacha.
