The Iranian typography today is moving in a path quite different from that of the Western typography. Contrary to the West, typography in Iran is mainly reliant on personal endeavors and practical experiences of designers rather than academic training and theoretical research. The courses of type and typography are taught in art schools under different names while nothing is said in these courses about the principles of type, knowledge of type, terminology of type, history of type and typography.

Judging what is happening in the name of or within the boundaries of typography is not the purpose of this piece.  The history of Iranian calligraphy, the great works in this art especially during the Islamic era and its influence on Iranian designers is undeniable. Iranian typography -of any quality- has been unquestionably received and admired by commentators, critics, designers and the juries in international contests. Again, we face with the question that: Should any work in which type is used in one form or another be called typography? How long this global acceptance is going to go and will it not lead us just nowhere?

Of course, we should not ignore the fact that a number of valuable, durable and influential works of type of typography -although limited in number- have been created during half a century life of Iranian graphic design and have brought the most fame for the Iranian contemporary graphics during the recent years.

The younger generation of designers who entered the profession after the revolution and after the war, took their first steps -with a little delay- after what happened as postmodernism in the West during early 1980s. They introduced part of the Iranian graphic design to the world by displaying their works in international exhibitions, introducing their works in major graphic publications and books in East Asia, Europe and North America and through winning awards in the important international contests. At the same time, they took a completely different approach to graphic design as compared with the entrepreneurs of their previous generations and motivated their subsequent generations. A small number of them were able to find their personal way after numerous experiences and under deep influence of Western designers and achieved to present a contemporary version of Iranian typography by reliance on their national culture.

Organizing exhibitions of Iranian typography was one of the first ideas to be discussed after the formation of the 5th Color group. During the years when the Iranian graphic design revitalized itself under more open political and social conditions, different generations of designers displayed their works side by side. It was in such conditions that the first Iranian typography exhibition entitled "The Blind Owl" was organized to commemorate the 100^th birth anniversary of Sadeq Hedayat. This exhibition was the first serious step toward gathering different generations of designers and became a starting point for the future and a motivation to young and younger artists, may be not to the older generation! The works were displayed in Seyhoon Gallery without any pre-evaluation. The works presented had many ups and downs; however, the exhibition was an effective start for Iranian typography. The second exhibition was devoted to Molavi (Rumi), his poetry and his ideology which was organized in a different atmosphere in Momayez Gallery of Iranian Artists’ Forum. Due to abundance of works by young designers, the works were evaluated in view of quality before going on display. The outcome was a collection of works of two different typography styles designed by the use of type or calligraphy and manuscript. "The Iranian Proverbs" was the third choice by the 5th Color which was organized simultaneously in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. The works which found way into the exhibition were inspired by the two former experiences of the participants and showed their efforts toward a mere typographic work and approaching the meaning of the proverbs. In addition to pre-assessment of the works, two other events were also added: first, to choose three top participants in order to encourage young talents and new experiments and second, to hold a side exhibition alongside the "Iranian Proverbs" exhibition. Because of the particular features of his works, this side exhibition was devoted to the works of Behzad Golpayegani. 

The fourth exhibition of Iranian typography is organized on the subject of “Shahnameh” by Ferdowsi and in the conditions that we have the experience of three former exhibitions behind us. This situation demands more elaborate and higher quality works.



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