Mouna Bassili Sehnaoui: The First Lebanese Woman Graphic Designer to Brand her Nation

Mouna Bassili Sehnaoui, a Lebanese artist, was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1945. During the early 1960s, she relocated with her family to Lebanon. She commenced her academic journey at the American University of Beirut for two years before transferring to the University of Arizona, Tucson, where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Sehnaoui holds the distinction of being the first academically trained female graphic designer to establish a practice in the Arab region. An examination of her visual output reveals the revelation of a woman's self within the backdrop of the cultural challenges prevailing during her era. It showcases how her identity as a woman within this specific cultural context influenced her and the Lebanese society in various ways. Notably, her graphic design work at the National Council of Tourism played a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of Lebanon. Even after concluding her tenure as a graphic designer at the ministry, her personal artistic endeavors continued to be influenced by her earlier professional experiences.

Author: Yasmine Nachabe Taan
Publisher: Khatt Books

ISBN 9789490939304
Idea Code 23847