Kayfa ta's Trojan Horse Publishing Subverts How-to Manuals Across Arab World

Founded in 2012 by Maha Maamoun and Ala Younis, Kayfa ta is an independent publishing venture that utilizes compact 'How-to' manuals to disseminate subversive concepts throughout the Arab world. Operating from Cairo and Amman, the editors characterize these low-cost publications as solutions to modern-day issues. Titles such as 'How to disappear' and 'How to love a homeland' challenge the typical transparency of instructional literature. Emerging post-Arab Spring, the series confronts pressing problems without ideological posturing. Each publication is available in both Arabic and English, promoting cross-cultural exchange. Kayfa ta has also ventured into curatorial endeavors, showcasing exhibitions at Beirut Art Center (2019), MMAG Foundation (2020), and Warehouse 421 (2019), and co-produced an Arabic version of 'no-ISBN: On Self-Publishing.' Their 2022 exhibition at Berlin's Savvy Contemporary focused on gaps in archival history.