AUK students showcase recycled designs at Re.Create

Thirteen students from the Department of Arts & Graphic Design at the American University of Kuwait participated in Re.Create, a recycling art competition and exhibition. The exhibition was held at Promenade Cultural Center, and was attended by a number of AUK students and their families, given that a majority of thirteen out of thirty selected projects on display were submissions from AUK students.

Using a range of recycled materials, students created furniture units, interior dÈcor, product designs, lighting designs, accessories, and sculptures. One of the participating students Munira Al Majdali describes her design, Salai (Sadu-Sarai-Light), a light fixture and a backpack is inspired by cultural objects that were used in Kuwait’s history.

The overall form represents a traditional Kuwaiti lantern, contrasted with a modern Sadu pattern at the bottom. Three Mihrab arches (found in center of mosques where people meet for prayers) are structured from recycled steel rods to create the lamp’s form, which is wrapped with faux leather which represents leather water bottles ‘Jirba’ that were used to keep water cool. The finished product is multifunctional, serving as a light piece and a backpack, thereby paying homage to the travelers and nomads who settled in Al Kout (fort) and who made the Kuwait we know today.” Aside from contextual ingenuity of concept, ‘Salai’ is made completely from recycled metal, fabric, and faux leather. Students agree that events such as Re.Create provide them with opportunities to experience the relevance of their ideas in the public eye. It also encourages them to narrate their ideas critically before a jury panel, thereby developing communication skills, while at the same time raising public awareness on the critical environmental issue of creative recycling and recreating.