ABOUT

Born in Damascus, Ranim AlHalaky is a Syrian-Lebanese graphic designer and visual artist whose work explores typography as a contemporary and experimental visual element, blending cultural identity, poetry, and storytelling. AlHalaky graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the American University of Beirut in 2015.

Deeply influenced by migration, memory, and social narratives, Ranim's work examines the intersections of place, belonging, and oral histories—existing in transit between the UAE, her homeland, and beyond. Through intergenerational conversations, research, experimentation, and artistic expression, she navigates themes of identity and collective memory. Her practice operates at the intersection of design and art, drawing a fine line between the two disciplines and blending them into a multidisciplinary approach. As both a graphic designer and visual artist, she constantly challenges boundaries, merging structured design methodologies with expressive artistic exploration.

Ranim's design practice spans brand identity, print, spatial graphics, experiential design, and animated formats, engaging audiences through multi-sensory interactions. She has collaborated internationally with designers, studios, and institutions across Amsterdam, Porto, Basel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Ranim has contributed to and art-directed significant cultural projects, including the UAE Year of Sustainability, the Year of the 50th Golden Jubilee Brand and Strategy, and the 50th National Day Celebration with Dubai-based studioTinkah. Since 2022, she has worked independently, leading projects including Nurturing Legacy for the UAE Pavilion at Doha Expo 2023 and collaborating with Amsterdam-based studio - Tellart on the UAE House of Sustainability at COP28.

AlHalaky's artistic research and experimentation on Unheard Voices' typographic metal installation series began in 2015 and continues through multidisciplinary, site-specific installations. Ranim's work has received multiple international awards and recognitions and was recently featured in Revealing Recording Reflecting: Graphic Women from Southwest Asia and North Africa, a book by Khatt and AFAQ, edited by Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares, Yasmine Nachabe Taan, Bahia Shehab, and Soukeina Hachem. The thesis project, 50 Meters of Omaya's Storytelling, was awarded the International Graphic Design Award and published by the AIAP Women in Design Awards(Italy, 2017). It also won the Areen Award for Excellence in Graphic Design (Lebanon, 2015) and the NYC Print Magazine Merit Award for Typography and Lettering (2016). In 2023, her large-scale public artwork Conversations Through Time, installed at AlUla International Airport in Saudi Arabia, won the D&AD Wood Pencil Award in London for excellence in environmental typography. Early in 2025, Eternal Stutters of Memory/Chimes of the City, a public art installation commissioned by Dubai Culture, was unveiled at Sikka 2025 and is currently displayed in the open-air space of Al Shindagha Museum.

Ranim's ongoing statement and artistic practice explore the relationships between identity, presence, and existence with memory, childhood, and origins. This research is shaping into a solo exhibition with Tashkeel, later in 2025, as part of the 2024-2025 Critical Practice Program cohort.

UPCOMING

September - October, 2025 | Naseej Min Al Irtihaal | Solo Exhibition at Tashkeel Gallery. Dubai, AE

2025

April 2025 | In These Times, April Issue | Magazine cover and Feature artworks. Chicago, USA

February 2025 - Present | Eternal Stutters of Memory/Chimes of the City. Public Installation launched at Sikka 2025. Shindahga, Dubai, AE

2024

November 2024 | UAE CLIMATE Brand Arabization for UAE at Cop29 in Azerbaijan

May 2024 | D&AD Awards Judge | Typography | D&AD. London, UK

April - May 2024 | Al Riwaq Art Space | Unheard Voices D01 as part of a Group Exhibition, ‘If Roots Remembered and Water Turned to Sea’. Bahrain

April - May, 2024 | Risoclub Damascus Edition | Collective collaboration curated by Kinda Ghannoum for Risotto Studio. Glasgow, Scotland

January - May 2024 | Philippines Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan | Graphic Design, Brand and Signage Art Direction with Tellart. Amsterdam, NL

January - May 2024 | Dutch Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan | Graphic Design, Brand and Signage Art Direction with Tellart. Amsterdam, NL

2023

December 2023 - February 2024 | Design Dispatch Poster T-Shirt | Teir ElAkhdar ‘The T-Shirt Tells Tales’ | Group exhibition homage to Muhieddine ElLabbad, curated by Mobius Studio at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, AE

November - December 2023 | UAE House of Sustainability | UAE Pavilion at Cop28 | Brand Identity. Dubai, AE

June - December 2023 | UAE House of Sustainability | UAE Pavilion at Cop28 | Spatial graphics, animations, and signage with Tellart. Dubai, AE

May - November 2023 | Nurturing Legacy | UAE Pavilion at Doha Expo 2023 | Brand Identity, Graphic Creative director and Guardianship. Doha, Qatar

April - May 2023 | Camel Universe in Saudi | Freelance Multidisciplinary Designer at DesignLab Experience. Dubai, AE

2022

February - June 2022 | Conversations Through Time | Award-winning Permanent Installation at AlUla International Airport with Capsule Arts and RCU. AlUla, SA

October 2017 - December 2022 | Art Director and Lead Designer at Tinkah Design Studio. Dubai, AE

2021

June - August 2021 | Scripts and Calligraphy Group Exhibition | Unheard Voices D01 & D02 Installations. Riyadh, SA

2019

October - November 2019 | Unheard Voices D02 | Commissioned Art Installation at Downtown Design with 1971 Design Space in Sharjah. Dubai, AE

September 2018 - March 2019 | Research and Writing for NOMADIC TRACES, Arabian Typographic Journeys, Research and Exhibition Content Development. Curated by Huda Smitshuijzen Abifares, Khatt Foundation. Produced by 421. Abu Dhabi, AE

2018

November 2018 | Unheard Voices D01 | Commissioned Art Installation at RASM, Contemporary Arabic Typographic Posters. Curated by Huda Smitshuijzen Abifares, Khatt Foundation. Produced by 1971 Design Space. Sharjah, AE