- In September 2017, King Salman issued a decree declaring an end to the decades-long ban from June 2018
- Some three million women in 萝莉视频 could receive licences and actively begin driving by 2020
French artist Malika Favre has created iconic covers for 鈥淭he New Yorker鈥� magazine, with animations that have gone viral online. So she was the natural choice for Arab News to illustrate our souvenir edition commemorating the day when women are allowed to drive in 萝莉视频.
As Faisal J. Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News, explained: 鈥淥ur website and newspaper 鈥� which today features a striking cover illustration by artist Malika Favre 鈥� will provide comprehensive coverage of both the immediate impact and wide-reaching, long-term social benefits of this move.鈥�
From her base in London, Favre explained why the idea immediately appealed. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 exactly the kind of subject that I want to work with and tackle today. I鈥檝e been increasingly involved with women鈥檚 issues over the past few years, with The New Yorker as well.
鈥淭hese stepping stones are extremely important, and they should be celebrated. It鈥檚 also something that as a woman I feel very strongly about.鈥�
What made our global creative director, Simon Khalil, think that the in-demand artist would take his assignment on? 鈥淎s a champion of women for years through her unique creative style, Malika Favre was the obvious choice,鈥� he said. 鈥淗er illustration brilliantly captures the significance of this moment on the day 萝莉视频 changed forever.鈥�
For the illustration, called 鈥淪tart Your Engines,鈥� Favre began with the idea of 鈥渟omething quite subtle, not aggressive, something celebratory,鈥� coming up with an image of a 鈥渂eautiful, Arabic woman鈥� that tells a story within a story.
鈥淪o, basically, I had this idea of looking at the car from the point of view of the woman who is driving, and so maybe the first thing you see is a woman with a headscarf and quite a colorful image, but then on the second layer you see what鈥檚 happening and you see that she is driving the car,鈥� Favre said.
The image of her hands on the wheel, and that iconic Gulf vehicle, a white SUV, are reflected in her sunglasses. These are animated online. 鈥淚 really like the idea of this woman being on the road, because I think symbolically it鈥檚 about going forward,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat is also a positive element, to create a positive image of what this historic moment will change.鈥�
The topic also resonated with Favre because her mother, while she was born in France, is Algerian. 鈥淔or her, she always wanted to have the same rights as everyone else. She was a big advocate for that. She raised me in that way as well. So for her it鈥檚 also an important cover on a personal level.鈥�
When asked about her favorite assignments, Favre referenced 鈥淥perating Theatre鈥� for The New Yorker鈥檚 鈥淗ealth, Medicine & the Body鈥� issue last year.
鈥淚t was an extremely important project because it went totally viral.鈥�
In her illustration, female surgeons are arranged in a circle looking down, as if the viewer is on the operating table. In the animation, the image is viewed as if through a blinking eyelid. Women surgeons around the world started re-enacting Favre鈥檚 cover, sharing more than 5,000 photos, with the hashtags #NYerORCoverChallenge and #ILookLikeASurgeon.
鈥淔or me, it was a very important moment,鈥� Favre said. 鈥淚t reached out to an audience that wasn鈥檛 design-focused. It was something very profound that spoke to these women, and they took it as a very strong statement of let鈥檚 celebrate women surgeons.鈥�
Does Favre think the women of 萝莉视频 are up for such an assignment? 鈥淚 think it definitely has the potential to do that as well,鈥� she said. Challenge accepted.
鈥� Download our free #SaudiWomenCanDrive mobile phone background designed by renowned artist Malika Favre: