The art of Iranian typography
by Herbert Lechner

Sadly, non-Roman alphabets are often overlooked in the world of contemporary typography. Graphic design in the west is very much shaped by the Roman characters that are a component and an expression of western culture. Our eyes find it hard to distinguish between Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters, and it’s the same when it comes to the Arabic alphabet.
Persian typography is closely linked to Arabic typography, but it has developed quite differently. The way the characters are placed, the way they are written and the art of Persian calligraphy has a distinct tradition and history.
The many superb examples of Persian writing on porcelain and in craft products, but also in particular on the walls of buildings reflects its tremendous popularity. The spiritual basis has also helped create a unique aesthetic form which has been refined down the centuries to produce great beauty. Yet this art form has also given rise to -questions: Can this specific tradition be properly described as typography? Are the characters used on typewriters and computers the »right« typography? Can you in fact compare Iranian typography with that in the west? Whatever the answer, it remains a fascinating field of written communication, which, through its very unfamiliarity, and also through the harmony and integrity of the visual image, opens up new perspectives. The examples shown are from the 2nd Iranian typography exhibtion, »Molavi«, which was launched and organised by »The 5th Color« design collective.

The 5th Color was founded in 2001 by the Iranian graphic designers Majid Abbasi, Saed Meshki, Alireza Mostafazadeh and Bijan Sayfouri. This creative collective's goal is to inject more dynamism into the local design scene and to promote greater interchange.

Novum No.1, January 2005, Munich, www.novumnet.de

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