Athens, Hydra and London

Eureka book, written by Omar Mooro, designed by Salma Barakat. Handwoven wool rug

'Eureka! Essays from The Book and the Drum' was written by Omar Mooro in a period of personal and global turmoil. With a background in design, I took on the challenge of laying out the publication. The cover was taken from the 'Rise' collage produced last year as the composition felt fitting to the energy behind the words.

The inner illustrations required a decoding of the text, abundant with symbolism and mythological references. The result was a collection of abstract ink drawings designed to compliment the character of each essay. 'Salt of the Earth' was later translated onto the loom and will be released in 2026.

Ink drawings by Salma Barakat

Page excerpts from Eureka, Book and the Drum

A mini Book Release tour started with Hydra Book Club, a seasonal literary oasis run by Josh Hickey. The writer stood amongst predecessors Ginsberg and Durrell to offer his first reading.

Second stop was in Athens, at Alix Janta's Adad Books where most of the book was edited. The intimate gathering included a back-to-back reading of the English and Greek version translated by Yannis Bournas.

The last leg of this year’s tour was hosted by Reference Point, London, a library-haven for the modern creative. Float rug draped over bookshelf, served as the reading’s backdrop. A tapestry collection inspired by the publication’s cover and ink drawings were also presented on the night.