Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the Arabic-script typographic ecosystem has matured and continue on evolving in promising ways. The dynamism and creative energy of the young generation of designers in the region recalls the creative production of the early years of Arabic calligraphy. Today like back then, much investment has been made in developing work that responds to the needs of the flourishing visual culture of the SWANA region, taking production means and technology as guiding parameters, yet going beyond them to embrace experimentation and creative expression.
This keynote will trace these developments through a subjective narrative of two decades of cross-cultural creative work, and will reveal the ideas and trends that have transitioned Arabic typography into the twenty-first century. Through discussing case studies from the Khatt Foundation projects as well as other works from the community, a picture of a moment of creative transformation will emerge. The talk will also offer reflections on potential future developments for Arabic typography, and the importance of continuing research, archiving, publishing and critical debate.