PB: This is an unprecedented time for indie-type foundries. TR: What is the state of the independent foundries today? What’s at stake? I believe it is our responsibility to present this cultural diversity in the program of the conference, and also in the Fontstand’s offerings. The world is far larger than the English-speaking universe, and while we all speak English most people around the world use languages other than English. This September in The Hague we have invited type designers from across the globe, creators that work with the Japanese, Arabic, Hebrew, or the scripts of India -a diverse typographic team that also match what we do offer on the Fontstand platform. TR: In this year's conference non-Latin-type designers take center stage as diversity is one of our objectives and priorities. ![]() How crucial is that for a hopefully more diverse state of the industry? TR: Non-Latin scripts seem to gain momentum lately. There are plenty of virtual conferences and interesting material online, but nothing replaces a real dialogue. People seem to be impatient to let go of the computer screens and meet in person again. PB: We were forced to cancel an event planned for 2021 and postponed the event planned earlier this year so we sincerely hope that this third time will be a charm. TR: Now in its third round, which are the post-covid challenges, you aim to address regarding the type design industry via the conference and its line of speakers? PB: I suppose the biggest achievement is the fact that we can organize this without any external funding and quite literally without any outside sponsors, so it is purely about people coming together and exchanging thoughts on their common interest, typography. TR: What would you consider Fontstand Typography Conference’s achievements to date? We had hoped to create a series of smaller events where there’s an easy conversation between presenters and those in the audience, with inspiring presentations, but more importantly with plenty of space in between to exchange thoughts and ideas. Peter Biľak: Fontstand is a company that looked at how to make using font easier, we want to engage new audiences, and as part of a plan meeting people and having a chance to speak about how deep work is crucial. ![]() Typeroom: What inspired you to launch Fontstand’s Typography conference in the first place? We caught up with Peter Biľak, the multidisciplinary designer based in the Netherlands, founder of Typotheque, and co-founder of Fontstand on the upcoming event. The Fontstand conference will be hosting a series of presentations and speakers that have a visible impact on the world around us” reads the intro to an event that boasts a great line-up of speakers for the Typophile community.įrom Erik van Blokland (Letterror), head of TypeMedia at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (KABK) and a part-time Gerrit Noordzij historian through the Amsterdam-based graphic designer Irma Boom, Ek Type’s Noopur Datye, Dinamo’s Elias Hanzer, Fontef’s Yanek Iontef or Typofonderie’s Jean-François Porchez aka one of the pioneers of digital typography and Pascal Zoghbi whose 29Letters Type Foundry embraces a truly global multiscript approach, the typographic conference in the city of The Hague -home to more than a hundred ethnic groups, with half its population being of non-Dutch heritage- aims to provide numerous insights on where the type design industry is heading. “As the world becomes increasingly diverse, type and typography engage in a cultural dialogue. ![]() “Typography doesn’t just make speech visible it is also a mirror of society, and a reflection of our culture” notes Fontstand’s team in the introduction to its upcoming third International Typography Conference coming to The Hague this September.
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