ANNE-FATIMA SYED
چاند کا گانا
CHAAND KA GAANA
THE MOON’S SONG
As a Pakistani Shia Muslim living comfortably in my American home, it is easy for me to be able to appreciate my heritage with privilege. Therefore, when it comes to the topic of the Partition of 1947, I want to make sure I understand the density of the historical split from the perspective of India and Bangladesh as well.
This is a magazine is Issue One of the Azaadi (Freedom) Press which is a publication (hypothetical) that covers stories of polarizing humanitarian issues. Chaand Ka Gaana, which translates into the “Moon’s Song,” bridges the narrations of three countries that were once one. The divide of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh stems from the 1947 Partition which is classified as one of the largest human migrations in the world. All under one night sky, they follow the Moon’s song to find solace for their people.
My design choices focus on the unification between the three ethnic groups. For example, the words “Chaand” and “Gaana” are the shared words of “Moon” and “Song” between the three languages of Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali. The cover is meant to emphasize or evoke the feeling of a partition between languages, which is why if you’re an English speaker your first instinct is to view it vertically. As for colors, the design decision behind the blue represents the moon and the three shades of green are in accordance to the green in each country’s flags. The shared appreciation of the color green between the three country’s emphasizes the union between them. The magazine is printed in Newsprint to replicate a newspaper.
Anne-Fatima Syed
Anne-Fatima Syed is a multidisciplinary designer who hopes to increase the representation of minority groups in creative fields by introducing a new perspective on design through her spiritual and cultural roots with visual storytelling.
She’s currently studying at the Design Media Arts program at UCLA and is interested in opportunities related to print and graphic design.