BAF09 Exhibit, Dubai

Sunday 15 - 22 March 2009
at Khatt Foundation's House 58

Waterways an Urban Type:

Typographic Instllation of sketches and ideas of the Typographic Matchmaking in the City v2.0 project

Friday, 20 March 2009, 9pm onwards

Presentations and party

Event Title: Why we do What we do and How.
Typographic Matchmaking 2.0 designers in conversation with local/guest designers and architects.

For 10 days, The Khatt Foundation’s House 58 public exhibition and project space, at the Bastkia Art Fair 2009, served as a basis for the group of designers to have their work exhibitied throught the Dubai international art fairs, as well as a place to meet other professionals and members of the local (and visiting international) community. This traditional house was one of several houses converted into exhibition areas for the fringe Bastakia Art Fair. Moreover, it was conveniently located at the heart of the old Dubai near the creek (the area of study of the designers participating in the Typographic Matchmaking in the City v2.0 project).

The exhibition was entitled Waterways and Urban Types. The preparation and hanging of the exhibition at House 58 were a collaborative effort between the participating designers and local art school students/volunteers. The curatorial/editorial endeavor of Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès, René Knip and Nat Muller have contributed to making the space a presenttation that transformed the house into a typographic experience where the the designers’ research-in-process foremed a seemless and integral part. The result was a payful installation that re-interpreted the traditional Emirati House as a space for bilingual typographic expression and that made the work accessible on various levels to a general audience with varied cultural backgrounds and professional interests.

The exhibition space was open for 10 days from 10am to 9pm, and received and average of 50 visitors per day, with about 150 on opening night and 50 extra on the evening of public presentations. The house also provided a platform for an evening of presentations and screenings on Dutch and Emirati urban visual culture and design.