Shifting Scripts: Contemporary Arabic and Persian Graphic Design
Period of time
24.4.25 – 26.4.25
Image / video
Cloud Asset ID
Design: Amir Mahdi Moslehi
Teaser text
Public opening programme on 24 April at the MK&G (8 euros incl. visit to the exhibition for all / registered conference participants receive free admission):
The conference “Shifting Scripts: Contemporary Arabic and Persian Graphic Design” examines Arabic and Persian typographic design from SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) and its diasporas within the broader academic framework of script studies.
The event is organized by the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at the University of Hamburg and the Khatt Foundation. It is held in conjunction with the exhibition “Inner Structures – Outer Rhythms: Contemporary Arab and Persian Graphic Design”, which is currently on view at MK&G until August 17, 2025.
Focusing on typography as a script-based practice, this conference explores the intersections of Arabic and Persian graphic design with cultural, political, and artistic narratives. It provides a unique platform for engaging with Arabic and Persian script from both academic and design perspectives. Additionally, the conference explores how contemporary graphic design can be analyzed and contextualized within the broader fields of design research and the humanities, with a particular focus on the SWANA region.
The conference will be held in English.
Venues: Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Steintorplatz, 20099 Hamburg CSMC, Warburgstraße 26, 20354 Hamburg
Organisers: Dr Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès Dr Wibke Schrape Professor Dr Shervin Farridnejad Jasmin Holtkötter
