Maya Zankoul started her
graphic blog “Amalgam” as a way
to comment on the struggles of daily
life in Lebanon – and unexpectedly
touched a chord with readers
around the world.
What were the things that led you to start your
blog “Amalgam”?
I started the blog at a time in my life when I was
questioning what I want, or should be doing with
By expressing your feelings on these issues in
my time. I felt unchallenged at my job, and found
graphic form, does that help to make them more
that I was not using my love of illustration in my
effective?
work. All of this combined led me to start a blog
where I share my thoughts, and ideas, using a
People nowadays are very busy and have no time to
medium that I love, which is illustration.
read long paragraphs of text. That’s why expressing
those ideas in one single or a few images is very
What are some of the particular issues of life in
practical. I believe that the medium chosen has
Lebanon which you blog about?
helped the message become more effective.
I have taken a break from blogging for a while now
Were you surprised by the way that people
and only update my Facebook page with occasional
reacted to your blog?
comics. However, the issues I blogged about the
most are the daily life challenges and troubles, such
I was happily surprised of course, especially in a
as the extremely limited infrastructure (electricity,
positive way, since I did not expect this kind of
transport) and the antiquated rights...
reaction. To me, it was just something I was doing