About | Bio + CV
BioIllustrator and visual artist who lives and works in Haifa, Palestine.
Haitham earned a bachelor in Fashion Design from Shenkar College of engineering and design in 2011. He has since participated in several collective and solo exhibitions including Qalandiya International Biennale, the YAYA competition organised by A.M. Qattan foundation and 2OG gallery. His work is influenced by costume history, queer culture, religious iconography and his immediate surroundings. Haitham began working in graphic design in 2012 through collaborating with local crews and culture producers. Currently his works fluctuate on the spectrum of visual arts - combining video art, illustration and animation creating images that tackle and discuss our identity/mentality in the new world and how it is shape-shifting under the circumstances of time/location/sphere.
Selected Group and solo exhibitions
2018 - 2019
Victor Papanek: The Politics of Design,Group Exhibition.
The Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany.
2018
We Shall Be Monsters, The Young Artist of the Year Award Group exhibition.
A.M. Qattan Foundation gallery. Ramallah, Palestine.
Curated by: Emily Jacir
2018
Error 404, Press home, Solo Exhibition
Forum Schlossplatz gallery. Aarau, Switzerland.
2017
Welcome to hisShit world, Solo show
Exhibited in:
- 2OG Gallery, Berlin. As part of a solo shows collection
- Gallery Bordel. Haifa, Palestine. (2017)
- Gallery Manjm. Haifa, Palestine. (2018)
2016
Amira Ctrl+s, Solo Exhibition
Khashabi Theatre. Haifa, Palestine.
2014
Manam, Group Exhibition, part of the Qalandiya International Biennale.
The New Arab Cultural Association center, Haifa.
Curated by: Rula Khoury.
2014
Triptych part.01, Solo show.
Fattoush Gallery. Haifa, Palestine.
Teaching Experience
2019 - Present
Fashion Illustration course at The Accademia Di Moda, Nazareth.
2015 - Present
Creative thinking and design basics, as part of the preparatory programs.
Bezalel Academy of Arts, Jerusalem.
Related Community work :Participating in Academic Bazars in high schools
encouraging the enrolling in design and art schools.
Work Experience
Present
Owner of MNJNK studio.
2015 - 2018
Owner and partner of Rock Paper Scissors, A graphic design studio and print shop.
2012 - 2018
Costume designer, Graphic designer
and freelance illustrator.
2011 - 2013
Assistant costume designer w/t Hamada Attallah.
Selected Design Works
alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity
in Palestinian Society.
2012 - present
Graphic Design and Illustrations
Starting my journey with alQaws organisation in 2012 as a volunteer, activist and participant in their different programs, was the beginning of a long lasting friendship and an opportunity for holding the responsibility of designing and creating the visual identity of many projects:
Banzine
2016 - Present
Co Founder, Co Publisher and Editor of Banzine magazine.
Banzine is a free, nonprofit magazine established to evoke and challenge the reader. The publication consists of minimally supervised harsh and provocative images, collages, texts and photography. All submitted from across the country anonymously to the magazine’s email. Its available online and every issue is printed as well to broaden the reach and the shock value.
The establishment of Banzine aims to serve a platform for aspiring artists and non-artists to discuss and criticize social norms and taboos without filtration (except for discriminatory content and hate speech).
Collaborations with Organisations,
Local Initiatives and crews
2012 - present
Resident graphic designer.
Collaborating with Jazar Crew to create the visuals for the Karakoz line, combining memories, illustrations, and technical drawings of machines to challenge the local scene and aesthetics of poster design.
Costume Design
Costume Designer
A Khashabi Theatre production mocking and criticizing our community and social taboos one by one through exaggerated scenes, characters and song lyrics.
Along with Majdala Khoury we created the costumes for over 40 personas played by 4 actors.
Combining second hand materials and costume made outfits that fit the fast pace of the play and the crazy abilities of the cast as well.
Assistant Costume designer with Hamada attallah
Present
Owner of MNJNK studio.
2015 - 2018
Owner and partner of Rock Paper Scissors, A graphic design studio and print shop.
2012 - 2018
Costume designer, Graphic designer
and freelance illustrator.
2011 - 2013
Assistant costume designer w/t Hamada Attallah.
Selected Design Works
alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity
in Palestinian Society.
2012 - present
Graphic Design and Illustrations
Starting my journey with alQaws organisation in 2012 as a volunteer, activist and participant in their different programs, was the beginning of a long lasting friendship and an opportunity for holding the responsibility of designing and creating the visual identity of many projects:
- Mainly their queer party that brings more than 400 queer individuals every 6 weeks since 2004 in Palestine, in order to create an ungoverned safe Palestinian space for sexual and gender expression.
- Illustrations for Tarwiha, an educational comic strip sharing the lives of four teenagers and their daily struggles with sexuality, gender and fitting in traditional cis-heteronormative constructs.
- Hawamesh, an outreaching public seminars program that tries to combine social and queer specific issues to a larger civic audience.
- Resident designer for the organisation (2018 - Present)
Banzine
2016 - Present
Co Founder, Co Publisher and Editor of Banzine magazine.
Banzine is a free, nonprofit magazine established to evoke and challenge the reader. The publication consists of minimally supervised harsh and provocative images, collages, texts and photography. All submitted from across the country anonymously to the magazine’s email. Its available online and every issue is printed as well to broaden the reach and the shock value.
The establishment of Banzine aims to serve a platform for aspiring artists and non-artists to discuss and criticize social norms and taboos without filtration (except for discriminatory content and hate speech).
Collaborations with Organisations,
Local Initiatives and crews
2012 - present
- The Arab Culture Association (2018 - Present)
Earth day memorial mural commission.
On earth day, 2019, I collaborated with The ACA in order to create a mural dedicated to Mahmoud Darwish’s famous text in the Palestinian publication “ “Shu'un Filastiniyah - شؤون فلسطينية “, Published in 1976.
Resident graphic designer.
- MahraJazz (2017)
In 2017 I co-founded MahraJazz and was the co-director of the visual identity for the first edition, logo and online programs design.
- Karakoz (2014-2015) by Jazar Crew
Designing covers/posters for the monthly electronic underground event.
Collaborating with Jazar Crew to create the visuals for the Karakoz line, combining memories, illustrations, and technical drawings of machines to challenge the local scene and aesthetics of poster design.
- Bltnm Records (2018 - 2019)
Albumart and covers for tracks
Designing covers for Shab Mouri and Shab Jdid
Costume Design
Costume Designer
- Cabaret (2018), by Bashar Murkus, Palestine.
A Khashabi Theatre production mocking and criticizing our community and social taboos one by one through exaggerated scenes, characters and song lyrics.
Along with Majdala Khoury we created the costumes for over 40 personas played by 4 actors.
Combining second hand materials and costume made outfits that fit the fast pace of the play and the crazy abilities of the cast as well.
- Strawberry (2018), by Aida Kaadan. Short movie, Palestine.
- The Day My father Dies (2016), by Nayef Hammoud. Short movie, Palestine.
- 1945 (2015), by Bashar Murkus, Al midan Theatre Production, Palestine.
With Majdala Khoury.
Assistant Costume designer with Hamada attallah
- Inheritance (2012), by Hiam abbas, Palestine.
- The Attack (2012), directed by Ziad Doueiri, Palestine.
- Omar(2013), by Hany Abu-Asad, Palestine.
- Villa Touma (2014), by Suha Arraf, Palestine.