In the heart of Egypt’s design scene stands an unyielding figure, Helmi Eltouni, whose legacy as a modernist artist and designer transcends time. Arab scholars such as Yasmine Nachabe Taan, Haytham Nawar, Bahia Shehab and Zeina Maasri have noted that Eltouni designed and illustrated thousands of books throughout his career. So, for this piece (the first The View From column to come out of Cairo), I’ve chosen one project that I believe is emblematic of how Eltouni, by immersing himself in the rich local and regional heritage, articulates an authentic and modern Arab graphic practice.

Born in 1934, Eltouni has profoundly influenced and continues to influence generations of Arab designers and illustrators alike. His mastery in melding various artistic styles with culturally resonant design garnered him a reputation that opened doors to collaborations with major Egyptian and regional publishing and cultural institutions. He belongs to a generation of Egyptian graphic artists that attempted to articulate Arab-modernist aesthetics during the second half of the 20th century. This was a time marked by an Arab anti-colonial artistic and intellectual fervour to resist the Euro-American aesthetic and cultural hegemony which was proliferating in the Arab world through mass-printed media. The rising threat of a Euro-American cultural imperial project set in motion a generational debate on cultural authenticity and modernity that still echoes to this day.

Eltouni’s position sought to redefine the relationship between cultural authenticity and modernity in Arab design, challenging the conventional dichotomy that often positions them in opposition. Instead, he advocated for a framework that embraced the coexistence of both principles without sacrificing one for the other.



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