The beginnings of typography can be traced back to the Stone Age with the discovery of symbols on cave walls as a form of language. The more advanced a civilization is, the more complex the human need to communicate through typography. The development of typography by the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans was the answer to the complexity of these needs. The Middle Ages contributed to the development of typography with handwritten characters until the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg which changed the technique of writing production and distribution.

Furthermore, people also learn about the Bauhaus Movement which became a milestone of the modern era through the principle of universalism in art, architecture, and design. The rise of Pop Art brought typography in the art movement that protested elitism along with its serious attributes. The Pop Art movement and the attractive recent typographical creations emerged and offered resistance through humor, cynicism, and sharp criticism towards the established power and industry. The development of typography subsequently became a means of daily expression.

Typography in today's visual arts world is more known as the science that supports visual communication design; therefore, apparently, typography becomes limited only in its function of marketing communication. For this reason, Typefest offers the idea of typography as a medium of personal, social, and cultural expressions through biennial exhibitions. Typography should not only be seen as part of visual image, but also as a language in itself. Typography also can become an art form itself that perfectly demonstrates the dichotomy between meaning and expressive form of language.