| Title | Marginalia-1 |
| Subtitle | The Marginalia Series |
| Artist / Creator | Islam Aly |
| Artist's Nationality | Egyptian |
| Place of Publication | Iowa City, IA |
| Publication Date | 2013 |
| Subject | Arabic calligraphy, commentaries |
| Process / Technique | Laser cut sections, laser engraved covers |
| Structure / Binding | Coptic and Ethiopian binding |
| Medium / Materials | Plexiglas covers, handmade flax, linen thread |
| Paper Stock | Handmade flax paper |
| Number of Pages | 60 pages |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 6 x 8 x 1.2 inches. |
| Edition Size | Edition of 20 |
| Signed & Numbered | Yes |
The design of Marginalia-1 is inspired from Arabic commentaries that were written in different books. These commentaries have a unique shape, and layout. It usually would contrast with the geometrical design of the page. The commentaries played an important role in the transmission and transformation of knowledge. I wanted to show the beauty of their calligraphy on the handmade flax paper. I selected ten different pages for each of the ten sections. I used the laser cutter to cut each section and engrave the front cover. The sections were attached to the Plexiglas covers and sewn together using a two needle Coptic link stitch. Finally I sewed the end bands.
Artist Bio
Islam Aly received a BA and an M.A. in Art Education from Helwan University, Egypt. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate, College Of Education, Art Education program, University Of Iowa. In 2011 he joined the MFA program at the University Of Iowa Center for the Book. He use the historical and cultural references from historical models in his book art. He is exploring ways to use the rich structure of historical books in teaching contemporary artists' book practice.