About

Salem Al-Qassimi is a graphic designer and entrepreneur born and raised in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Multimedia Design from the American University of Sharjah (AUS), and a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), during which he also served as a teaching assistant and instructor. His thesis was an investigation of the Arabish (Arabic and English) culture in the United Arab Emirates. Salem worked at various companies in the UAE and abroad before founding Fikra in 2006--a multidisciplinary design studio that specializes in providing bilingual graphic design solutions in Arabic and English. Fikra works in print and new media, including: identity creation, book design, environmental graphics, data-visualizations, interaction design, web design, and motion graphics. The studio's philosophy is deeply rooted in exploring the intersections of cultural Arabic and Islamic traditions and modern lifestyle through design. While practicing, Salem also teaches design studios at the American University of Sharjah in the College of Architecture, Art and Design. Salem is based in Sharjah, UAE, and New York, USA.

Education

• Yale University
• Rhode Island School of Design
• American University of Sharjah
• SAIS SHJ