Echoes of Type: Weaving Sound, Code, and Culture – Inscript Type Festival 2024

The virtual event for all things at the overlap of technological and typographic innovation is back for its third year.

Inscript is a five-day festival that thrives at the intersection of typography and communication, embracing bold experimentation. Like a portal into a world where design, language, and the art of communication converge in ways that feel almost otherworldly. It invites you to drift behind the curtain of creative minds, where the boundaries between thought and creation blur. Here, the brightest contemporary talents unravel their process like storytellers of a new dream, revealing the invisible threads that weave their work together. It’s a rare glimpse into the wellsprings of their inspiration, a place where ideas breathe and evolve, shaped by the rhythms of today’s ever-shifting currents of thought and imagination.

The Inscript Collective returns with this third experimental type festival, that will take place online from October 16 to 20, 2024, offering a five-day experience that is accessible to everyone. With over 30 speakers and moderators, Inscript showcases the wildest experimental ideas and the latest innovations in the field of typography.

From craftsmanship to creative coding, from augmented reality to embroidery, participants will explore the intersections where various industries overlap. The festival combines cutting-edge technology with innovative thinking, enhancing our imagination through a global spectrum of speakers from a wide range of creative fields.

This year’s lineup features names like Jonathan Mak, known for his work with sound-wave machines and type, Pauric Freeman, who blends live audio-video projection DJing with typography, and Julian Hespenheide, whose installations and gadgetry are as intellectually rich as his writing. Longtime inspirations Andy Simionato and Karen Ann Donnachie, pioneers of "This Is A Magazine," are also showcasing their experiments with writing machines and AI.

While VR has taken a step back, there’s a strong emphasis on AR, with standout contributions from Eager Zhang, Maria Vioque Nguyen, and Studio Feixen. Projects responding to body and facial movements, including those by Nahuel Gerth, Pauric Freeman, and Zach Lieberman, are generating a lot of buzz.

Bubbly type continues to be a recurring theme, with playful works from Sangah Shin, Jaejin Ee, Benoit Bodhuin, and Rejane Dal Bello. South Korea is making a strong showing again, with tech-forward designs from Rebel 9, Kosuke Takahashi, Formless Twins, Halim Lee, and Ordinary People. The festival also celebrates a rich array of global influences, from Morgane Vantorre's cross-stitched type to Kristyan Sarkis' Arabic typography, Vanessa Zúñiga Tinizaray's Indigenous Ecuadorian type and code, Anagha Narayanan's Indic lettering, and Bettina Comte's wacky type experiments.

As a gathering of visionary minds, Inscript fosters an environment where ideas flourish and boundaries dissolve. Attendees will engage with thought leaders who challenge conventional norms and push the envelope of what is possible in design and communication. This festival is not merely an exhibition; it is a celebration of collaboration and exploration, where participants can immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of presentations, discussions, and hands-on experiences.

Inscript embodies the spirit of innovation, encouraging all who join to embrace their curiosity and engage with the future of typography in a way that is both accessible and inspiring. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a newcomer to the field, this festival promises to ignite your imagination and expand your understanding of how typography can shape our world.

Website: https://inscript.tf/

Edited by: Giannis Papaioannou | Typeroom