A departure from productivist culture – which valued durable, high-quality production and thoughtful consumption – technology and globalization brought a wave of consumerism that is defined by impermanence and instant gratification. Global culture dictates a need for hurriedness, demanding efficiency and immediacy from all products and services, and valuing a sense of individualism over lasting, meaningful connections to others.

We are continuously bombarded by marketing tools in the form of billboards and other outdoor advertisements, plastering our city and trying to sell us products, services and even causes.

‘Full Heart’ is a mounted billboard, created by Dina Fawakhiri, that illustrates how we would like our heart to appear to others. In the digital age, the plethora of ‘likes’, hearts, and emojis we use to communicate have evolved into a valid currency and tool to connect with. This billboard reveals a truth behind what really fills our hearts, and the reality of our reaction to the world around us.

An illustrator based in Amman, Dina Fawakhiri left the advertising industry to pursue a full-time freelance career as an illustrator. Her artistic practice has spanned several styles, beginning with pencil forms that later morphed into digital art influenced by explorations of the surrealist art movement. Dina’s creative process is informed by her relentless patience, appreciation for clean form, and intensive attention to detail, aspects that compose the basis of her burgeoning signature style.