Typozone /4/

What could the preface to the catalogue of the exhibition, which chooses the relationship between fiction and reality, be about? Of course, it discusses the possibilities and the reality of realizing an idea. Because the reality now is that the Typozone is here again. The idea born years ago has become a reality again, even though we could only wish for that for the last two years. We are grateful to all those who are zealous creators, participants, and helpers of the idea. These are the invited universities themselves, their students and lecturers, the decision-makers, staff or individuals of the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, and the City of Eger. And, of course, we owe a lot to – the space made available for us so far – the space of the Temple Gallery in Eger, which has significantly contributed with its suggestive milieu to associate a unique, unmistakable image with the Typozone brand. The significance of the original idea of the Typozone has increased from the beginning among the invited people as well as the increased number of the works on display. It has become known and perhaps not immodest to think that it is important, not only for us organizers, but for all those who expect the presentation of new, recurring experiments in visual culture and the appearance of striking typography. It is a pleasure to see how a fiction raised in a former conversation in a café has become a recurring reality over the years as a result of the work and thinking that many people have invested in.  

The original theme of 2020, the concept of fiction, can be understood in its simple and at the same time multifaceted nature. Its meaning can range from the usual primary meaning of idea or sci-fi through dreams and assumptions to conspiracy theories and memes, or conversely, it can focus on the authenticity of the information. It depends on what the creator thinks closer to him or her or what seems a more important problem. And of course, in addition to the rather dense concept, there is, as always, typography as a formal requirement for appearance. Moreover, in black and white form. Thanks to the cooperation between the City of Eger and the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, in the spring of 2022 we had the opportunity to replace the exhibition and the catalogue that was missed due to the pandemic, but at the same time we consider it important to update the exhibition and give current students of the universities the opportunity to participate. The topic of the current competition and the exhibition is METAVERSE. 

The word “metaverse” itself was coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson in his cyberpunk novel Snow Crash. As the name of future virtual reality, he marked a three-dimensional virtual space where users’ avatars could live their lives similarly to reality. The emerging concept of the metaverse today is a shared, virtual world that users can access from multiple platforms. Our virtual avatars can communicate with each other in an online universe that combines several different virtual spaces. Maybe this will be the future version of our existence. It can be understood as a space of unknown opportunity, meeting, work, and entertainment. And what about meta-typography? Is this part of the fiction or is it already a reality? 

We see that combining fiction, metaverse, and typography in this way does not seem an easy task. But we hope that perhaps this seemingly difficult task will give us some determination and courage to look for new, different solutions that call into question the conventions. It can be guaranteed by the curiosity of the emerging new generation of students and the masters who teach them, their willingness to experiment, their restless attention to the new and the variable as well. On the other hand, we are confident that this attention and curiosity, in conjunction with the creative energies, will unleash forces in the works and those interested in the work that not only give us an inspiring experience in professional matters, but also give us strength as a kind of analogy with human existence and, thanks to the ideas presented here, also give us the reality of the freedom of many kinds of existence.  

The exhibition is organized by the Media and Design Institute of the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, with support of the University and the City of Eger. 

habil. Lajos Csontó and Szabolcs Süli-Zakar DLA
curators of the exhibition