Khotout Reviving Arabic Calligraphy

Arabic calligraphy was once one of the most popular and intricate art forms in Egypt. It has now, unfortunately, started losing its importance. A group of people saw this art form deteriorating and decided to create a project called Koutout West el Balad in order to reestablish it. This project aimed to revive the dying art tradition of Arabic calligraphy. They went into the heart of Cairo and photographed old handwritten shop signs, then proceeded to digitize them and create typefaces available for everyone to use. The project helped conserve this art style by adapting it to the new digital world and making them into typefaces. The founder of this project stated that its purpose is to “keep the typographical heritage of the hand-painted calligraphy on street signs and storefront signage alive” (Al-Ismaelia, 2016). From my perspective as an Egyptian, I believe that many of our cultural identities are being taken over by western ideas. Projects like this inspire young graphic designers to include traditional Arabic calligraphy into their designs, creating a new wave of contemporary calligraphy art. This not only preserves the cultural heritage but also helps to keep it relevant in modern times. #Expose