Reimagining Tradition
This exhibition showcases how contemporary SWANA graphic designers reinterpret traditional scripts by drawing from art movements and popular culture. Their work reaches beyond the boundaries of calligraphic norms, introducing innovative typographic expressions that reflect the region’s evolving cultural and artistic landscape.
Shared Script, Visual Rhythms
With 28 Arabic letters and four additional characters used in Persian, the shared system of writing forms a visual foundation that transcends borders, religions, and ethnicities across the SWANA region. It interacts with the region’s visual rhythms to form a cohesive design language rooted in shared heritage. In this space, typography becomes more than text, it visualizes the rhythms of Arabic and Persian music and the poetry of the languages. Through cultural commissions and global distribution, these designers share the stories and identities of the SWANA region with the world.
Inner Structures – Outer Rhythms offers visitors a glimpse into the dynamic visual culture of the region — from Beirut to Tehran, Cairo to Dubai — reshaping how we see and feel language.
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Inner Structures – Outer Rhythms was originally produced with:
The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MACD).
It was previously exhibited at:
The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MACD), USA
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Arts in Qatar
Museum Kunst und Gewerbe (MK&G) Hamburg
The Aga Khan Museum’s exhibition is a condensed version of the previous presentations.
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Funded by: Toronto Arts Council & Ontario Arts Council