When Nader Dagher uploaded a picture of Beirut with the words “Home Sick” written in Arabic on it, he was surprised to see that it resonated with many people, friends and strangers. He uploaded a few more creations and they all went viral. It seemed only natural to take it to the next level, and so Art7aké was born.
Not only is Art7ake the product of an unusually creative mind – Art7akeh is a play on word in Arabic with “Art7akeh” or “Arret7akeh” meaning ‘Someone who speaks without saying anything/for its own sake” – but it is also very appealing. So far entirely Facebook and Twitter-based, Dagher handles demands manually. The Facebook page’s current 8,600+ fans seem to actively follow his latest work with many (such as myself) requesting this or that design on canvas or other material. But the story doesn’t stop there.
To take it to the next level, Dagher is organizing a fundraising campaign on Zoomaal, the main crowdfunding platform for creative projects in the Arab world. There are 23 days left (until the 21st of June 2014) to raise $15,000 or more to “accelerate the operations of the company along with the launch of its website to reach maximum number of potential clients. It will also aid with the expansion of Art7aké to different markets with custom products and delivery services.” And as with every Zoomaal campaign, all donors will get something back depending on the amount donated.
Here are some of his work, taken from the Facebook page.
And in case you’re wondering, yes this blog’s new logo was designed by Art7ake.
joey husseini ayoub 