Join Ilya Ruderman for a deep dive into the rich and multifaceted world of the Cyrillic script — a writing system used across more than 120 languages, from Eastern Europe to Central Asia and beyond.
This talk will explore the origins of Cyrillic, its historical evolution, and the cultural and political forces that shaped its development. Ilya will highlight what makes Cyrillic graphically unique — from its structural contrasts with Latin to the challenges and opportunities it presents to type designers today.
Beyond the core letterforms, the talk will shed light on the diversity within Cyrillic itself: the subtle and not-so-subtle differences in typographic traditions across Slavic, Turkic, Uralic, and Caucasian languages. Whether you’re a designer, linguist, or just curious about global scripts, you’ll come away with a deeper appreciation of Cyrillic’s complexity — and its modern relevance in type and design.