fbpx Jordan Script Routes: Connecting archeology to Contemporary Design | Amman Design Week
6 October 2019
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Event Type
Talk
Fees
Free
Language
Bilingual

The Middle East has been a cradle of several civilizations (religions, languages, and traditions), and a site of crossing trade routes that transcended modern national borders and identities. Not only goods, but also knowledge has over the centuries crossed the permeable borders along the caravan routes, as people spoke and wrote in several languages, borrowed from each other, and adapted ideas and skills to their respective needs. The story of written scripts in the Middle East testifies to this cultural wealth, diversity and fluidity.

The panel discussion will reflect on the important role that scripts have played in defining and preserving the cultural identity of past and present civilizations. It will discuss the relationship between ancient heritage and contemporary design; how the fields of archeology and paleography can enrich contemporary design and inspire a more culturally rooted design research. Participants include Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès (Khatt Foundation), Dr. Omar Al-Ghul (Yarmouk University), Dr. Ali Al-Manaseer (Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities), and Hussein Alazaat (Elharf House).

This event is sponsored by the Dutch Embassy.

About Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès

Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès is the Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books publishers. She holds degrees in graphic design and design history from Leiden University, Yale University, and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She is a member of Alliance Typographique Internationale (AGI). She specializes in typography and design research. She has curated exhibitions and published on design from the Arab World since 2001.

www.khtt.net

Venue
Amman Design Week Stage
Location
Al Hussein Cultural Center, Ras El Ain