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showroom
novum plus :
focus : typography
A new way of looking at 20th-century typography
The Diaspora probably promoted the Jews appreciation of the importance of writing, because this was the only way their beliefs could be disseminated over great geographical distances. Unlike in Islam, the Jewish faith welcomed the advent of printing, once the scribes had decided that printed words were equivalent to the written form and not engraved. »If they had decided printing was engraving, then this would have meant a total ban on books. Because the act of engraving was reserved for Gods word on the Tablets. But once printing was defined as »written«, the printed book could then be established as a separate genre alongside hand-writing,« explained Michael Mitterauer in his lecture »Writing tools and printing presses«.
However, for ritual purposes as part of the religious services or for special occasions, printed texts are not permitted. Strict rules must still be observed by the writing artists. For example, certain texts may only be written on the skin of a »pure« animal. Similar restrictions apply to the kind of ink and writing instrument used. Also, the way these religious texts are set out and structured is precisely laid down.
This introduction is necessary for a proper understanding of the work of the Jewish calligrapher, painter and graphic designer Moran Haynal. He manages to bring a new twist to these strict guidelines, without detracting from the dignity of the texts
