Alphabetum XV – Writing Systems of the Otherworld
Alphabetum XV
Writing Systems of the Otherworld
06.09.2025 — 25.01.2026
06.09.2025, 19:00 hrs.
26.10.2025
West Den Haag in the former American Embassy, Lange Voorhout 102, The Hague
Tim Brookes, Edgar Walthert
In relation to the site-specific work Afaka Kondee, created by Surinamese artist Marcel Pinas for the Open Paviljoen in 2025, Alphabetum XV continues the reflection on the Afaka script. This unique writing system, developed in the early 20th century and rooted in Maroon culture, stands as a remarkable example of a script that emerged outside conventional linguistic traditions.
Alphabetum XV: Writing Systems of the Otherworld investigates scripts that emerged from dreams, visions, or other unexplainable sources — systems that, like Afaka, seem to bridge the space between imagination and communication. The project is developed in collaboration with international experts Tim Brookes (Endangered Alphabets) and Edgar Walthert, who together bring knowledge, research, and unique perspectives on the landscape of writing systems.
The program consists of a site-specific installation at West Den Haag, two accompanying publications, and an international symposium on 26 October 2025, where artists, scholars, and researchers will discuss the aesthetics, philosophy, and cultural meaning of these extraordinary scripts.
Edgar Walthert is an internationally known graphic and type designer, creator of the typeface Logical, and founder of letterspace.amsterdam, a monthly platform for dialogue on typography and design. His work explores the boundaries between language and visual communication, including a poster series on writing systems: The Annex of Universal Languages, Hildegard von Bingen Logical Ignotae, The Evolution of Emoji into a Language, and The Utopian Quest for a Pasigraphy. Writing Systems of the Otherworld, developed for Alphabetum XV, is the fifth work in this series.
Tim Brookes is a British-born writer, cultural historian, and typographer, best known as founder of the Endangered Alphabets Project, which documents and preserves minority and indigenous scripts worldwide. Through exhibitions, books, and educational initiatives, he highlights the cultural value of writing systems at risk of disappearing. His work brings global attention to the link between script, identity, and resilience.