Maha Zeini Al-Saati | Simon Fraser University (original) (raw)
Books by Maha Zeini Al-Saati
Educating through Popular Culture: “You’re Not Cool Just Because You Teach with Comics”, Studies in the Integration of Popular Culture in Teaching and Learning, 2016
This chapter documents my experience as a Saudi Arabian educator who teaches in the field of medi... more This chapter documents my experience as a Saudi Arabian educator who teaches in the field of media studies, particularly courses on the history and theory of media and communication, as well as a course on Interactive Fiction design. While teaching I use various forms of American pop culture, including comics, film, music videos, novel sections, short video games, news reports, and screenshots of tweets and posts from social media as a form of pop culture that students engage with on a daily basis. In the chapter, I examine some of the challenges concerning the relevance of media to students of the millennial generation, the various methods of contextualization for these classroom screenings, and the various approaches I used to encourage classroom discussions about the nature of media. I often found that the use of dated science fiction (sci-fi) and some fantasy films could enhance the students’ critical lenses in viewing the way technologies evolve. The reason was that these films provided a different time and space in which the normal was made abnormal, which can encourage students to rethink the technologies they take for granted.
Conference Presentations by Maha Zeini Al-Saati
Originally titled: "Understanding abstraction in artistic expressions in contemporary media of th... more Originally titled: "Understanding abstraction in artistic expressions in contemporary media of the Arabian Gulf" in the conference program.
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Abstract:
Islamic art has often been characterized by abstraction, tajreed, and is often associated with the religious restriction on figurative representation for fear of idolatry and the transgression against God’s act of creation. The common perception of Islamic art often manifested in the domains of calligraphy and zakharif, decorative patterns, which are both absent of the figure. This paper explores the following questions: What new forms of abstraction have shaped popular art in the Arabian Gulf region? How can we redefine our understanding of abstraction in this contemporary context beyond the Western conception and the traditional historic tajreed? What are the factors influencing these understandings of these emerging definitions?
I will close read artistic expressions in new media forms and popular culture of the Arabian Gulf region, examining artifacts consumed by the often non-artistic public. These will include: religious posters and booklets, often distributed at schools and public spaces or events at the peak of Al-Sahwa in the 1990s; Newspaper cartoons, focusing on the evolving perceptions that constantly reshaped their characters, especially those by Abdulaziz Almuzaini, which featured characters with missing facial features; Social media profiles, often shying away from immediate representation and reduced to iconic expressions of the self; graffiti and wall street art; and the sung nasheed, lately evolving into the more westernized A-capella renditions of popular western music.
This paper examines narrative themes in popular culture of the Arabian Gulf. I close-read contemp... more This paper examines narrative themes in popular culture of the Arabian Gulf. I close-read contemporary media, examining the transformation of narratives as they disseminate from oral to visual traditions. Using Ernest Becker’s Denial of Death (1974) as a framework, I analyze the role of these narratives in creating socio-cultural meanings. In addition, I review the various cultural and social factors that have caused a slow disappearance of references to death in these narrative closures. Furthermore, the participatory nature of social media has also allowed the public to play a role in reshaping these narratives by interacting with them. Through the use of copy, paste and modify, the narrative is endlessly modified to suit the participants’ points of views, resulting in a richness and wealth of narratives beyond the traditional patterns in which the protagonist meets his/her demise.
This research documents a video course taught in a Saudi university, where students, with no expe... more This research documents a video course taught in a Saudi university, where students, with no experience in video production, learned to create narrative and biographical videos based on their daily lives. Coming from conservative backgrounds, the students resorted to creative solutions to overcome the challenge of visual representation without compromising their traditions or values. During my interviews with students, it was evident that the camera was considered a “public eye”. Video, as a medium, became a public space in which representation were shaped by potential audiences. Accordingly, various cinematic techniques were re-appropriated from mainstream cinema and tailored to suit this culture. These techniques included the use of close-up on background settings, hands while working or feet while walking. Other techniques included the use of silhouettes and shadows. The use of the first person point of view was also a popular and intuitive choice. Another common technique was use of children to play the role of adults, often influencing the narrative. For example, the story may be framed as a childhood memory. Clay stop-motion dolls and animations were also another common way of substituting the self visually. This research aims to contribute to the body of scholarly studies that document the use of video as a creative tool for storytelling among this young group.
Publications by Maha Zeini Al-Saati
PhD Thesis, The School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University (SFU), Canada., 2013
This thesis is a descriptive analysis of the architectural image. In it, I aim to uncover some fo... more This thesis is a descriptive analysis of the architectural image. In it, I aim to uncover some foundational principles that architects rely upon when creating architectural images. I argue why the methods architects use to communicate architectural space in images may sometimes be lacking. Architectural animations were shown to interviewed image-makers, who identified three points of criticism: (1) the restless, roaming camera;
Proceedings of CAADRIA2012: the 17th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia 25-28 April 2012, Chennai, India. pp. 637–646., 2012
Architects sometimes use architectural animations to explain their designs. To probe the practice... more Architects sometimes use architectural animations to explain their designs. To probe the practice of architectural film/animation, this paper assembles filmic spaces as a conceptual tool that connects spatial archetypes with camera movements.
Proceedings of CAADRIA2012: the 17th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia 25-28 April 2012, Chennai, India. pp. 637–646., 2012
As part of our inquiry about the practice of architectural film and animation and where it might ... more As part of our inquiry about the practice of architectural film and animation and where it might go, this paper presents the results of interviews with architects on space, and on animation. We present their rich sense of space, and explain how they structure architectural film and animation. We found that architects wish to convey the subjective impact of design, but don't know how to connect film editing techniques to architectural ends. Computational design could fill this gap with, for example, drag-and-drop editing patterns.
The International Journal of the Image 2012. v.3, Issue. 3, pp. 107-118., 2012
Film spaces can sometimes communicate narrative experiences to the viewers as strongly as those c... more Film spaces can sometimes communicate narrative experiences to the viewers as strongly as those conveyed through characters. Audiences have grasped the feeling of Blade Runner’s (Scott 1982) despair in a dystopian futuristic city, Alice’s nonsensical endeavors in Wonderland (Geronimi et al. 1951), Dorothy’s eventful adventures on the yellow brick road of The Wizard of Oz (Fleming 1939), WALL-E’s (Stanton 2008) loneliness in the midst of the garbage piles planet, and the gladiators’ feeling of diminishment in front of the grand coliseum in Gladiator (Scott 2000). By watching these spaces onscreen, one could glimpse the experience of being there without actually visiting these places.
These film images portray architectural forms filled with experiences that play on emotions we strongly identify with, as we follow the protagonists venturing into these spaces. To better understand the types of spaces constructed in film and the experiences they convey, a number of film scenes with strong depictions of spatial exploration and architectural components were selected for analysis. We have coded for spatial archetypes with concern to two aspects: form and experience. Accordingly, we have identified spatial archetypes such as: open space, landmark, path, arcade, tunnel, clearance, layered space, grid, labyrinth, shaft, rotunda and court. Such findings can help assist the communication of spatial experience through moving images manifested in both architectural films and animations.
Proceedings of INTERCAD 2011: The International Conference on Architecture and Design, Vienna, Austria. pp. 50–56., 2011
We present the emergence of architectural animation from the point of view of Marshall McLuhan's ... more We present the emergence of architectural animation from the point of view of Marshall McLuhan's media effectswhat is suppressed, enhanced, and revived, and what takes on different meaning.
Re-Humanizing the Built Environment Proceedings. 5th International Conference & Workshop On Built Environment In Developing Countries, Penang, Malaysia, 2011
The increasing demand on housing for young families in Saudi Arabia has given rise to the duplex ... more The increasing demand on housing for young families in Saudi Arabia has given rise to the duplex house, due to its affordability and reasonable accommodation of their needs. Duplex house projects rely on producing repetitive housing units with uniform floor plans, sometimes using prefabricated elements to speed up the construction process. These ready-made houses are often handed to the users as finished end-products. However, the exclusion of users in the creation of their own dwellings has demonstrated a lack of adaptability for individual preferences and needs, and even fewer possibilities for modification, growth, or change.
ICEC 2011. 10th International Conference on Entertainment Computing, 2011
The paper discusses Jeddah, an interactive artwork that experiments with the relation between cur... more The paper discusses Jeddah, an interactive artwork that experiments with the relation between cursor and background art. In addition to being functional, the cursor is also cast as an element of artistic expression. It is exaggerated in shape, scale, color and motion to blend in with the background art, and is constantly transforming in response to the art world. This is done to enhance the mood and experience of spatial exploration of Jeddah’s world.
Educating through Popular Culture: “You’re Not Cool Just Because You Teach with Comics”, Studies in the Integration of Popular Culture in Teaching and Learning, 2016
This chapter documents my experience as a Saudi Arabian educator who teaches in the field of medi... more This chapter documents my experience as a Saudi Arabian educator who teaches in the field of media studies, particularly courses on the history and theory of media and communication, as well as a course on Interactive Fiction design. While teaching I use various forms of American pop culture, including comics, film, music videos, novel sections, short video games, news reports, and screenshots of tweets and posts from social media as a form of pop culture that students engage with on a daily basis. In the chapter, I examine some of the challenges concerning the relevance of media to students of the millennial generation, the various methods of contextualization for these classroom screenings, and the various approaches I used to encourage classroom discussions about the nature of media. I often found that the use of dated science fiction (sci-fi) and some fantasy films could enhance the students’ critical lenses in viewing the way technologies evolve. The reason was that these films provided a different time and space in which the normal was made abnormal, which can encourage students to rethink the technologies they take for granted.
Originally titled: "Understanding abstraction in artistic expressions in contemporary media of th... more Originally titled: "Understanding abstraction in artistic expressions in contemporary media of the Arabian Gulf" in the conference program.
***
Abstract:
Islamic art has often been characterized by abstraction, tajreed, and is often associated with the religious restriction on figurative representation for fear of idolatry and the transgression against God’s act of creation. The common perception of Islamic art often manifested in the domains of calligraphy and zakharif, decorative patterns, which are both absent of the figure. This paper explores the following questions: What new forms of abstraction have shaped popular art in the Arabian Gulf region? How can we redefine our understanding of abstraction in this contemporary context beyond the Western conception and the traditional historic tajreed? What are the factors influencing these understandings of these emerging definitions?
I will close read artistic expressions in new media forms and popular culture of the Arabian Gulf region, examining artifacts consumed by the often non-artistic public. These will include: religious posters and booklets, often distributed at schools and public spaces or events at the peak of Al-Sahwa in the 1990s; Newspaper cartoons, focusing on the evolving perceptions that constantly reshaped their characters, especially those by Abdulaziz Almuzaini, which featured characters with missing facial features; Social media profiles, often shying away from immediate representation and reduced to iconic expressions of the self; graffiti and wall street art; and the sung nasheed, lately evolving into the more westernized A-capella renditions of popular western music.
This paper examines narrative themes in popular culture of the Arabian Gulf. I close-read contemp... more This paper examines narrative themes in popular culture of the Arabian Gulf. I close-read contemporary media, examining the transformation of narratives as they disseminate from oral to visual traditions. Using Ernest Becker’s Denial of Death (1974) as a framework, I analyze the role of these narratives in creating socio-cultural meanings. In addition, I review the various cultural and social factors that have caused a slow disappearance of references to death in these narrative closures. Furthermore, the participatory nature of social media has also allowed the public to play a role in reshaping these narratives by interacting with them. Through the use of copy, paste and modify, the narrative is endlessly modified to suit the participants’ points of views, resulting in a richness and wealth of narratives beyond the traditional patterns in which the protagonist meets his/her demise.
This research documents a video course taught in a Saudi university, where students, with no expe... more This research documents a video course taught in a Saudi university, where students, with no experience in video production, learned to create narrative and biographical videos based on their daily lives. Coming from conservative backgrounds, the students resorted to creative solutions to overcome the challenge of visual representation without compromising their traditions or values. During my interviews with students, it was evident that the camera was considered a “public eye”. Video, as a medium, became a public space in which representation were shaped by potential audiences. Accordingly, various cinematic techniques were re-appropriated from mainstream cinema and tailored to suit this culture. These techniques included the use of close-up on background settings, hands while working or feet while walking. Other techniques included the use of silhouettes and shadows. The use of the first person point of view was also a popular and intuitive choice. Another common technique was use of children to play the role of adults, often influencing the narrative. For example, the story may be framed as a childhood memory. Clay stop-motion dolls and animations were also another common way of substituting the self visually. This research aims to contribute to the body of scholarly studies that document the use of video as a creative tool for storytelling among this young group.
PhD Thesis, The School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University (SFU), Canada., 2013
This thesis is a descriptive analysis of the architectural image. In it, I aim to uncover some fo... more This thesis is a descriptive analysis of the architectural image. In it, I aim to uncover some foundational principles that architects rely upon when creating architectural images. I argue why the methods architects use to communicate architectural space in images may sometimes be lacking. Architectural animations were shown to interviewed image-makers, who identified three points of criticism: (1) the restless, roaming camera;
Proceedings of CAADRIA2012: the 17th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia 25-28 April 2012, Chennai, India. pp. 637–646., 2012
Architects sometimes use architectural animations to explain their designs. To probe the practice... more Architects sometimes use architectural animations to explain their designs. To probe the practice of architectural film/animation, this paper assembles filmic spaces as a conceptual tool that connects spatial archetypes with camera movements.
Proceedings of CAADRIA2012: the 17th International Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia 25-28 April 2012, Chennai, India. pp. 637–646., 2012
As part of our inquiry about the practice of architectural film and animation and where it might ... more As part of our inquiry about the practice of architectural film and animation and where it might go, this paper presents the results of interviews with architects on space, and on animation. We present their rich sense of space, and explain how they structure architectural film and animation. We found that architects wish to convey the subjective impact of design, but don't know how to connect film editing techniques to architectural ends. Computational design could fill this gap with, for example, drag-and-drop editing patterns.
The International Journal of the Image 2012. v.3, Issue. 3, pp. 107-118., 2012
Film spaces can sometimes communicate narrative experiences to the viewers as strongly as those c... more Film spaces can sometimes communicate narrative experiences to the viewers as strongly as those conveyed through characters. Audiences have grasped the feeling of Blade Runner’s (Scott 1982) despair in a dystopian futuristic city, Alice’s nonsensical endeavors in Wonderland (Geronimi et al. 1951), Dorothy’s eventful adventures on the yellow brick road of The Wizard of Oz (Fleming 1939), WALL-E’s (Stanton 2008) loneliness in the midst of the garbage piles planet, and the gladiators’ feeling of diminishment in front of the grand coliseum in Gladiator (Scott 2000). By watching these spaces onscreen, one could glimpse the experience of being there without actually visiting these places.
These film images portray architectural forms filled with experiences that play on emotions we strongly identify with, as we follow the protagonists venturing into these spaces. To better understand the types of spaces constructed in film and the experiences they convey, a number of film scenes with strong depictions of spatial exploration and architectural components were selected for analysis. We have coded for spatial archetypes with concern to two aspects: form and experience. Accordingly, we have identified spatial archetypes such as: open space, landmark, path, arcade, tunnel, clearance, layered space, grid, labyrinth, shaft, rotunda and court. Such findings can help assist the communication of spatial experience through moving images manifested in both architectural films and animations.
Proceedings of INTERCAD 2011: The International Conference on Architecture and Design, Vienna, Austria. pp. 50–56., 2011
We present the emergence of architectural animation from the point of view of Marshall McLuhan's ... more We present the emergence of architectural animation from the point of view of Marshall McLuhan's media effectswhat is suppressed, enhanced, and revived, and what takes on different meaning.
Re-Humanizing the Built Environment Proceedings. 5th International Conference & Workshop On Built Environment In Developing Countries, Penang, Malaysia, 2011
The increasing demand on housing for young families in Saudi Arabia has given rise to the duplex ... more The increasing demand on housing for young families in Saudi Arabia has given rise to the duplex house, due to its affordability and reasonable accommodation of their needs. Duplex house projects rely on producing repetitive housing units with uniform floor plans, sometimes using prefabricated elements to speed up the construction process. These ready-made houses are often handed to the users as finished end-products. However, the exclusion of users in the creation of their own dwellings has demonstrated a lack of adaptability for individual preferences and needs, and even fewer possibilities for modification, growth, or change.
ICEC 2011. 10th International Conference on Entertainment Computing, 2011
The paper discusses Jeddah, an interactive artwork that experiments with the relation between cur... more The paper discusses Jeddah, an interactive artwork that experiments with the relation between cursor and background art. In addition to being functional, the cursor is also cast as an element of artistic expression. It is exaggerated in shape, scale, color and motion to blend in with the background art, and is constantly transforming in response to the art world. This is done to enhance the mood and experience of spatial exploration of Jeddah’s world.