When Fine arts and Writing collide, there’s no doubt that the outcome will overwhelm the world’s beauty. That’s what Walid Taher did in his recently published book, “A bit of Air”. Living the artistic vibes to their fullest, we interviewed the cartoonist and illustrator Walid Taher. In a lively chat, he told us more about his aspirations and motives to bring new, extraordinary works to the universe.
Ask him “The Correct Question”:
“What are you made of?” instead of “How did you do it?”,
Taher also appeared to be a genuine speaker; he caught TEDxCairo mass’s attention leading his talk, “The Correct Question”. Discovering that he prefers to be asked “What are you made of?” instead of “How did you do it?”, And we surely hit the right question. “My one-and-a-half-year voyage to France, has really helped in developing my work and shaping my vision to target my audience effectively,” he says.
The Ultimate Fatherhood:
Aspired by the fatherhood Instinct, Taher’s responsibility towards his children, was the spark that inspired him to start an innovative series of stories “Feezo”, illustrating and telling his children’s daily incidents, which seemed relatable and inspiring for many women. Taher believes that the Egyptian children deserve a platform, where they can develop their way of thinking and personalities through. His muse was the great Artist Bahgat Othman, who perceived “Art” as more valuable, in the children’s eyes rather than the adults.
“Freedom makes children nowadays more aware of what they want, and who they want to be,”
Children Nowadays Vs Children Now:
“Children nowadays have something I wished I had when I was their age, which is freedom,” he says. He believes that they can simply pave their way, to be more independent human beings. He continues: “Freedom makes children nowadays more aware of what they want, and who they want to be,” We all have that inner child, who comes to life every now and then. “I have always felt a connection between us and children. We both share the same passion and curiosity, but unfortunately, they gradually fade away as we get older,” he says. Speaking of Taher’s ultimate advice, for adults and children: “I wish adults develop the desire to explore new lives, travels and experiences; to trigger brand new questions. For children: I wish we teach them how to arrange their priorities,” he says.
The impact of Sarcasm:
Taher focuses on Sarcasm in most of his works, believing that it has the power to trigger conversations between people. “Sarcasm is the key to creating negotiations, and that’s how public opinion is built,” he says.
Taher’s Future Plans:
Speaking about the future projects he would like to work on: “I want to create a story with an elderly woman as the heroine. I would like to portray their struggles, passions, and their daily life in general,” he says.
Translated By: Eman El Doghry