Arabic calligraphy is one of the oldest and most beautiful forms of visual art. For centuries, it has evolved side by side with the evolution of the Arabic language, making it an intrinsic part of Arab culture.
Unfortunately, this beautiful art form, once an essential tradition, has lost much of its cultural relevance in the Arab World. Yet, the significance of this part of Arab heritage has not been lost to everyone, as recent years have seen attempts to revive the tradition.
One such initiative is Khotout West El-Balad (The Calligraphy of Downtown Cairo), a project that aims to not only preserve but revive the Arabic calligraphy of Downtown Cairo – the heart of the Egyptian capital.
It was fittingly launched by Al-Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment, an Egyptian real estate development company that has been working to preserve the architectural heritage of Downtown Cairo and reigniting its cultural scene for five years.
Using the calligraphy-rich streets of the historic area as their source of inspiration, the team of designers behind Khotout West El-Balad recreated Downtown Cairo's various calligraphy styles in a contemporary setting, developing six new digital fonts.
"A series of typefaces, promoting the use of Arabic type and encouraging young designers to reconsider the importance of calligraphy and its aesthetics, were created by transforming the handmade craft into digital craft," Al-Ismaelia told StepFeed.
The purpose of this transformation is to "keep the typographical heritage of the hand-painted calligraphy on street signs and storefront signage alive."
Each of the six fonts – Nefertari, Safwat, Seliman, Maktab Rita, Kebab and Madinet Al-Bat – bear the identity of Downtown Cairo, named after some of the neighborhood's iconic places and cultural elements.
Nefertari, a geometric typeface designed by Mirna Noaman and Nada Hesham, derived its name from the signage of a tourism company in Downtown Cairo.
Safwat on the other hand, a display font designed by Ghalia El-Srakbi, derived its name from the sign of a famous Downtown shoe store.
To create the scripts however, the numerous forms of Arabic calligraphy in Downtown Cairo had to first be documented and their rich history had to be researched.
"The project began with a few Downtown walking tours during which typographical examples were documented," explained Al-Ismaelia.
"The design team made a final selection. Some scripts were classic and based on existing Arabic calligraphy styles and some were based on modern primary and geometric shapes. The challenge was to transform these examples into functioning digital typefaces."
As for the research that outlined the beginning stages of designing the fonts, the team focused on archiving and analyzing the various uses of Arabic typography in Cairo.
Research was specifically focused on how history has witnessed Arabic calligraphy shift from religious and official use to informal use for everyday communication in public spaces. The research further examined the influential Egyptian and Arab calligraphers who took part in this significant shift and their contributions to the art, as well as the changing cultural, social and economic conditions that affected it over time.
Other areas of research included the evolution of the visual culture of Downtown Cairo and the evolution of the calligraphy in the historic area that has stood the test of time. This area was especially relevant for the project, as the fonts were meant to represent the different eras of the calligraphy styles they were inspired from.
"Downtown Cairo does not only embody a past history, it also represents a pulsating present. There is not a more honest celebration of our history than by taking it with us into our future," Khoutout says, according to its website .
The message behind the initiative is not only that the significance of Arabic calligraphy needs to be revived and the rich heritage of Downtown Cairo preserved, but that such heritage can remain relevant for generations to come.