Satirical cartoons have long been a mainstay of Middle Eastern newspapers, but illustration as an art form is still an emerging category. Lama Khatib Daniel is one of the new generation of illustrators drawing notice…

I’ve lived here my entire life; first in Kuwait as a child, then Jordan and now Dubai, which is a very multi-cultural city. As an Arab artist you’d have to be living under a rock to not notice the complexities found within the Middle East today. Our stories and daily issues are too intense to be ignored and that feeds me creatively. Middle Easterners are a very passionate people, but we can also be harsh and it’s that love/hate emotional roller coaster that finds its way into our art as well.

I think Satrapi’s film is amazing and very brave in a sense, because it takes a lot to put your life out there for everyone to see. I’ve always admired people who are able to take misfortunes in life and transform them in a positive way. As an artist I have been shaped by all the challenges, euphoria and ups and downs life throws at you, but I’m not sure I’m ready to put all of it on film just yet!

I think a lack of “freedom of speech” naturally leads to a lack of “freedom of illustration.” Although we have amazing Arab artists, there are still very few Middle Eastern illustrators. Most of the good illustration artists here are from other parts of the globe. There is a tendency amongst Arab artists to practice more traditional art forms such as painting or sculpture, not necessarily illustration.

To nurture specialized fashion illustrators, business article illustrators, or even story board & comic book artists, we need to have a market for it where one has enough room to experiment. It’s only then that the profile of illustrators and their work will rise in the region.