Aly, Islam: Home

Limited edition of 40 copies, signed and numbered by the artist. "Egyptian uprising called for democratic reform. Tahrir Square in Cairo became the focal point and the most effective symbol of the protests in January and February 2011. For 18 days Egyptians repeated the slogan: The People Want to Bring down the Regime (al-sha`b yurid isqat al-nizam) until the regime stepped down on the 11th of February 2011. This book focuses on the revolution slogan 'al-sha`b yurid isqat al-nizam.' Using Arabic Kufic script the words of the slogan are repeated in an ascending sequence. Section 19 contains the English translation for the slogan 'The People Want to Bring down the Regime.' The last section contains the time and date when the regime stepped down along with the sentence 'Al Saa'b Askat al Nezam' with its English translation 'The People have Brought down the Regime'. Cairo's map is laser engraved on the book covers. Three edges of the book are colored then laser engraved to show the streets of Cairo"—Artist's statement at the Vamp & Tramp Booksellers' website, viewed on June 15, 2016.

"Statera explores the rhombic dot system behind the Naskh script, from the verb nasakha, 'to copy,' a small, round script commonly used to write administrative documents and transcribe books. In Arabic, this system is called "Mizan Al Horof"; (balance of letters). Statera shows each letter's specific structure, which is built of a significant rule: the number of dots. The 28 letters are printed in Thuluth script with vibrant red color, over regular handwritten text by ordinary people. Different styles, signatures, seals, notes, and markings from legal ledger paper contrast with the Thuluth script rules ..." — Artist's website

"Unleash records an angel's attempt to leave the book. A journey that starts with words about being confined and restrained, the angel appears and slowly makes a path through these words until succeeding to break the phrases and get out of the book. When the angel disappears from the book, the letters of the broken words start forming a human face.

"By using a late Coptic binding with straps and clasps, the book structure echoes its content. One wrap has the angel on the wooden clasp; the other wrap has the human face." — Vamp & Tramp website.