Gazan poet and Mizna Fellow Yahya Ashour shares a special electronic book of excerpted verses from poetry he has written while in exile accompanied by his own illustrations.

In solidarity with Ashour’s nineteen family members who must escape the dire situation in Gaza, Mizna is supporting Yahya Ashour to fund their evacuation through the sale of this e-book.

The price for the book is $25, however we strongly encourage those who are able to give much, much more—to be as generous as possible. All funds from the sale of A Gaza of Siege and Genocide will go directly to assist his family’s escape to Egypt.

Once you have paid, you will receive an email with a special link to the electronic book. Please do not share with anyone, but rather encourage others to buy the book themselves, thereby amplifying the support of the Ashour family.

The post A Gaza of Siege and Genocide by Yahya Ashour appeared first on Mizna.

June 27, 2022: I Want Sky reading + Open Mic in New York. RSVP now for limited spots.

Mizna, in partnership with Asian American Writers Workshops’ The Margins, present I Want Sky, a collection honoring Sarah Hegazy’s one irreplaceable life, and the lives of all LGBTQ+ Arabs and people of the SWANA region and its diaspora.

The notebook, guest-edited by Mariam Bazeed, features contributions from AMA, Amir Ferdjani, Banah el Ghadbanah, donial salem harhooor, Eman Desouky, Gamal El Sawah, Ghinwa Jawhari, Janine Mogannam, Kamelya Omayma Youssef, Layla Zbinden, ‘mad, Mejdulene B. Shomali, Mish Ismy, Nada Almosa, Niki Asfar, Nour Kamel, Nusaiba Imady, Qais Kamran, Shiyam Galyon, and Walid Daou. This special collaboration was designed by Morcos Key with illustrations by Haitham Haddad of Studio Mnjnk.

Read more about I Want Sky and watch launch reading video.

The post I Want Sky appeared first on Mizna.

Mizna 25.2, Futurities invites you to face the status quo governing our present, exercise your imagination, and invoke alternative worlds.

Mizna: Futurities features contributions from Fathelbari Ahmad Al Hassan, Haidar Alghazali, Dana Alsamsam,  Sara Bedri, Pınar Banu Yaşar, Walid Daqqa, Abi Diaz, Sara Elkamel, Malak Hijazi, Nour Eldin Hussein, Randa Jarrar, Najwa Juma, Mona Kareem, Douglas Kearney, Nancy Kricorian, Aya Krisht, Elise Thi Tran, Faisal Mohyuddin, Umniya Najaer, Chinaecherem Obor, Ladan Osman, Abu Bakr Sadiq, Maya Salameh, Gina Alexandra Srmabekian, and Yi Wei.

Guest editors Barrak Alzaid and Aram Kavoossi.

Visual art by Siah Armajani

The post Mizna 25.2 appeared first on Mizna.

Mizna 25.1 reflects on the various catastrophes our communities have faced and grieved in the past year while celebrating our communities’ abilities to continue resisting, loving, and pursuing liberation.

Contributions from: Leila Abdelrazaq, leena aboutaleb, Yahya Ashour, Sarah Aziza, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, River 瑩 瑩 Dandelion, Mahmoud Darwish, Olivia Elias, Ruba El Melik, Meriem Evangeline, Summer Farah, Noor Hindi, Sophie Jaulmes, Arthur Kayzakian, Leila Mansouri, Aurielle Marie, Nyla Matuk, Ahlaam Moledina, J Omer, mónica teresa ortiz, Michael Lawrence Payne, Aman Rahman, Jérémy Victor Robert, Alan Semerdjian, Nadia Shammas, Mejdulene Bernard Shomali, Danez Smith, Veera Sulaiman, Talin Tahajian, Alia Taqieddin, Alene Terzian-Zeitounian, Hawwa Youngmark, and Mohammed Zenia. Visual art by Taysir Batniji.

DIGITAL PDF ONLY

The post Mizna 25.1 (Digital Only) appeared first on Mizna.

All funds from the sale of this item will go directly to exiled Gazan poet and Mizna Fellow Yahya Ashour to support his family in meeting their basic needs in Gaza and, when possible, eventually evacuating to Egypt.

The price for this piece is $100, however we strongly encourage those who are able to give much, much more—to be as generous as possible. All funds go to Yahya Ashour’s family.

NOTE: THIS ITEM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS

Artists: Andrea Shaker and Rachel Melis
Year: 2024
Process: Letterpress printed
Color: Color
Dimensions: 17 × 11 inches
Signed and numbered edition of 110

DESCRIPTION
Andrea Shaker and Rachel Melis collaborated to make this limited edition (110 prints), signed, and numbered letterpress protest poster/broadside after reading Hala Alyan’s “Why Must Palestinians Audition for Your Empathy” in the October 25, 2023 issue of the New York Times. With permission from Alyan and translation to Arabic from Abir and Afaf Abukhadra, Shaker and Melis designed the broadside by combining a linoleum cut of an olive tree with hand-set type in English (Goudy) and Arabic (Kafa) on letterpress.

The broadside was letterpress printed at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in two runs with colors that reference the Palestinian flag. Two shades of green ink were used for the olive tree using a split-fountain technique, and the text was printed with a combination of deep gray ink on the press and red ink applied to the type with a hand-held brayer. Given the handmade process, each piece is unique with slight differences in color.

This print was produced at Minnesota Center for Book Arts using Kafa, the only Arabic wood type set in the United States. Designed by Lebanese type designer Nadine Chahine in 2018, Kafa is a response to increased political divisiveness, racism, and xenophobia in the US, Kafa translates to “enough.”

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Andrea Shaker and Rachel Melis are friends and colleagues who are professors in the Art Department at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. Shaker’s work is interdisciplinary, spanning photography, moving image, experimental film, installation, letterpress printing, and writing. As an Arab American, she explores themes of home, homeland, migration, and diaspora. Shaker received her BA from Georgetown University and MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Melis creates prints, artist books, and illustrations connecting cultural and biological cycles of growth and change. Accompanying her personal art practice, Melis specializes in printing collaborative broadsides and posters. She received her BA from Grinnell College and MFA from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Both artists live with their families on Dakota and Anishinaabe ancestral lands in mní sóta.

The post من المهم // It Matters—Limited edition print appeared first on Mizna.

Ceramic watermelon pendant made by local artist Joy O’Connor (EARTHENJoy). Comes with a 12inch hemp string attached. Can be a pendant, ornament, or, if attached to a safety pin, a pin.

The watermelon is long-used symbol of Palestinian resistance. Between 1967–93 when Israel banned the display of the Palestinian flag, it is said that people would cut open a watermelon which contains all of the colors of the flag (red, white, green, and black), and display it instead.

Dimensions: 1.5 x 0.5 in

All funds from the sale of this item will go towards supporting exiled Gazan poet and Mizna fellow Yahya Ashour to support his family in meeting their basic needs in Gaza and, when possible, eventually evacuating to Egypt.

The price for this item is $10, however we strongly encourage those who are able to give much, much more—to be as generous as possible. All funds go to Yahya Ashour’s family.

NOTE: THIS ITEM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS

The post Watermelon Pendant appeared first on Mizna.

Limited edition letterpress print by local artist Andrea Shaker.

Sumud translates to “steadfastness.” It is a cultural value, ideology, and political strategy used by the Palestinian people to inspire and grow resistance in the face of oppression.

This print was produced at Minnesota Center for Book Arts using the only Arabic wood type set in the United States. Typeface: Kafa, designed by Lebanese type designer Nadine Chahine in 2018 as a response to increased political divisiveness, racism, and xenophobia in the US, Kafa translates to “enough.”

Dimensions: 11 15/16 x 9 1/16 in

All funds from the sale of this item will go towards supporting exiled Gazan poet and Mizna fellow Yahya Ashour to support his family in meeting their basic needs in Gaza and, when possible, eventually evacuating to Egypt.

The price for this item is $10, however we strongly encourage those who are able to give much, much more—to be as generous as possible. All funds go to Yahya Ashour’s family.

NOTE: THIS ITEM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS

The post صمود // Sumud Print appeared first on Mizna.

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These special limited edition 25th anniversary posters were conceived by Wael Morcos and screen printed by Night Swim in neon coral.

Dimensions: 18×24 inches

The post Limited edition 25th Anniversary Poster appeared first on Mizna.

Mizna 25.1 reflects on the various catastrophes our communities have faced and grieved in the past year while celebrating our communities’ abilities to continue resisting, loving, and pursuing liberation.

Contributions from: Leila Abdelrazaq, leena Aboutaleb, Yahya Ashour, Sarah Aziza, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, River 瑩 瑩 Dandelion, Mahmoud Darwish, Olivia Elias, Ruba El Melik, Meriem Evangeline, Summer Farah, Noor Hindi, Sophie Jaulmes, Arthur Kayzakian, Leila Mansouri, Aurielle Marie, Nyla Matuk, Ahlaam Moledina, J Omer, mónica teresa ortiz, Michael Lawrence Payne, Aman Rahman, Jérémy Victor Robert, Alan Semerdjian, Nadia Shammas, Mejdulene Bernard Shomali, Danez Smith, Veera Sulaiman, Talin Tahajian, Alia Taqieddin, Alene Terzian-Zeitounian, Hawwa Youngmark, and Mohammed Zenia. Visual art by Taysir Batniji.

The post Mizna 25.1 (Print + Digital) appeared first on Mizna.