Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès | Revealing Recording Reflecting | letterspace nr.66 | 22 APR 2026

Long overdue, we welcomed Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès to our stage at De Lange Adem. She presented her extensive body of work surrounding Arabic typography and design. Many people in Amsterdam may remember ElHema, the store/exhibition offering typical Dutch products rebranded with Arabic type. In the world of typography, Huda is celebrated for her Typographic Matchmaking projects, which brought together renowned Dutch and Arab type designers to create some of the first successful multiscript type families. Since then, Huda has continued to promote design and typography from South-West Asia and North Africa, through initiatives such as [Khatt Books](https://khattbooks.com) and the [Khatt Chronicles Podcast](https://explore.afikra.com/podcast/the-khatt-chronicles-podcast/), which highlight (female) designers from the region. In her upcoming talk, Huda will focus on her publishing practice and give us a close look into a selection of her major projects.