Hatem Arafa

The Barakat Trust will support Hatem Arafa’s MA in Arabic Studies, specialising in Islamic Art and Architecture, at the American University in Cairo. This study will help him deepen the historical and theoretical foundations of a practice that brings together Arabic calligraphy, Islamic ornament, architectural space, and contemporary visual design.

Born and raised in Egypt, Hatem began working as a graphic designer in 2006. His interest in Islamic visual culture later led him to Türkiye, where he studied Traditional Turkish Arts at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University in Istanbul, specialising in Arabic calligraphy. He is currently completing an MA in Graphic Design at KTO Karatay University in Konya, with research focused on how traditional Islamic visual systems continue to inform contemporary visual identity. Alongside his academic path, Hatem has worked as a calligraphy artist, designer, and instructor through a wide range of cultural, architectural, publishing, gaming, and commemorative projects, while also teaching Arabic calligraphy and Islamic ornamentation internationally.

At AUC, he hopes to develop a more historically grounded approach to the study of calligraphy, ornament, architecture, and Islamic visual culture, and to explore their continuing relevance in contemporary design practice. This next stage will also help him develop further as both an artist and a researcher.