Safa El Samad, Limited edition Risograph Print, Beauty in the mundane

Title: Beauty in the mundane
Year: 2024
Materials: Risograph print in seafoam and red ink on envirocare 150gsm paper
Size: 297mm wide x 420mm high

Adapted from Soof's embroidery flash designs, this print showcases designs around the theme of beauty in the mundane. The design features the classic monobloc chair, a silent witness to countless lives, sits in every corner of the world, both ordinary and enduring in its quiet simplicity.

The text “Shu fi, ma fi” (شو في ما في) is a colloquial Arabic phrase often used in Levantine dialects, meaning “What’s up?” or “What’s happening?” It translates directly to "What’s there? Nothing there.

And a pigeon which has been branded as "rats of the sky," and commonly misunderstood city dwellers, their feathers flashing iridescent greens and purples—a quiet reminder of beauty hidden in plain sight. 

Safa El Samad is a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer with a passion for upcycling objects and garments destined for landfill. Recently, she designed the uniforms for the 9th Mpavilion and earned a Master's in Architecture from Monash University. 

Safa operates her brand ‘Soof’ out of Schoolhouse studio. Soof invites anyone to bring in old, unloved garments for revitalisation in order to mitigate the textiles from ending up in landfill and provide a sentimental attachment to the garment not found in mass produced clothing. She also loves engaging with community and creating awareness about the ongoing genocide in Palestine.