Asemic Writing for Mail-Artists

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Asemic Writing for Mail-Artists

Asemic writing for mail-artists

Members: 220
Latest Activity: Feb 26

Discussion Forum

In your words 3 Replies

What is ascemic writing?What is visual poetry?I have a pen pal who is interested in learning about them after telling her that I read Judith women making visual poetry and it was my favorite art book of 2021.Your responses will be printed and mailed…Continue

Tags: writing, ascemic, poetry, Visual

Started by JAC MAIL. Last reply by Gerald Jatzek Feb 2.

Personal shorthand jazz writings with words. 5 Replies

Can ideas like this be included in the asemic type of development?Jazzy script in a kind of shorthand notation?Continue

Started by Bill Newbold. Last reply by Gerald Jatzek Feb 7, 2022.

Spontaneous Asemics 18 Replies

I am curious how members view the phenomenon of spontaneous asemics and if they ever experience something like I did this afternoon. I was tidying my workspace and while lifting a pile of paper I detected marks of ink that got stuck to the plastic…Continue

Started by Carien van Hest. Last reply by JCW Maine May 8, 2021.

The Martha Stuart School of Asemic Wallpaper - Start Your Career Today! - Special Discount for Prisoners 164 Replies

The Martha Stuart School of Asemic WallpaperFounder:Martha StuartAdministration:Katerina Nikoltsou, Dean of AsemicsDiane Keys, Minister of Propaganda, Student AmbassadorSnooker the Amazing Mail-art Dog, Dean of MenDavid Stafford, Dean of WomenDe…Continue

Started by De Villo Sloan. Last reply by Francis Lammé Dec 9, 2020.

font creator program 2 Replies

Hi I am new here because by chance I saw your question. I have used Fontographer to create my own fonts from drawings and it is easy and free. It will work with W7, I think. You need a painting /graphic program to create tiny drawings of each…Continue

Started by Mail Art Martha. Last reply by Francis Lammé Aug 24, 2020.

Definition of Asemic Writing - Adapted from Wikipedia 12 Replies

Adapted from Wikipedia Asemic writing is a wordless open semantic form of writing. The word asemic means “having no specific semantic content.” With the nonspecificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning which is left for the reader to…Continue

Started by De Villo Sloan. Last reply by david-baptiste chirot Feb 18, 2019.

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Comment by De Villo Sloan on December 18, 2020 at 9:43pm

One more thing: All these pieces mimic the linear, (sometimes) syntax & symbol structures of most European languages. That's great

You can see some incredible work with "Imaginary" languages (but they can't be read!), alternative structures, single glyphs, work made with found material. So the possibilities are huge.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on December 18, 2020 at 9:33pm

And here is a piece by none other than Jim Leftwich (Virginia, USA). I'm collecting as much JL material as I can & trying to document his views at Asemic Front. He prefers the term "pansemic" now. I think he sent me this when I was digging back into older work. So I think this is something he at least once considered "asemic." But I'm doing this from memory so this is not official. But this IS an example of what many of consider Leftwich asemic writing. That's about as close to the source as you can get.

By Jim Leftwich:

Asemic Front, by the way, is an ongoing mail art call. ALL of you are invited. The blog that documents the project has all sorts of fascinating asemic material, including a lot of Jim's current theoretical positions.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on December 18, 2020 at 9:16pm

Hi Mel Anie, I feel like I've failed you in terms of identifying what is & isn't asemic.

In the group I try to be "descriptive" rather than "prescriptive." And the term asemic - as far as we know - was first used by Jim Leftwich & Tim Gaze in the 1990s. So this is a new genre. "Movements" go through a process of excitement, rejection, argument - you know. Sometimes they don't survive.

So I'll share some "Baseline" things (like in Blade Runner) for artists & writers new to the group.

Below is a postcard with what most of us would agree is asemic writing. It's by IUOMA member Mim Golub Scalin (Virginia, USA). Note that it appears to be writing, but when you look closer it cannot be read:

Below is a piece by Ruud Janssen (Netherlands). It tends to be more a vispo-asemic hybrid, which is what this group tends to produce, although there are no rules or aesthetic preferences:

And below are two pieces by our treasure Nancy Bell Scott (Maine, USA). NBS has helped shape asemics:

Comment by Mel Anie on December 18, 2020 at 9:45am

Thanks De Villo Sloan,

Since IYHO you couldn't commit to the bird being totally asemic and since you mention the children before they speak and since you mention that some asemics don't recognise its existence, I get it!!!!!!! Thank you, my heart rate has come down.

Comment by De Villo Sloan on December 18, 2020 at 1:52am

Welcome Mel Anie! Welcome to the group and thanks for the asemic bird!

I am smiling!

Our humble group does sometimes serve as a place to explore, "Is it asemic?"

We DO have some of the best-regarded asemic writers & artists in our humble contingent. I am very proud of this. Many of them would not presume to pronounce something "asemic" or "semic."

I can't offer you a simple "yes" or "no." If someone else can I know they will help Mel Anie. Some of our finest asemic writers do not even believe there is such a thing as asemics! They often prefer to call it visual poetry (vispo). 

That said, I think it's safe to say that asemic writing is a discourse (often made by collage or calligraphy) that appears to be language but can't be read in a conventional way. I would say there is a lot of asemic art being made right now that is rooted in abstract art.

I would guess your friend saw all the expressive calligraphy inside the bird and thought of asemics. I won't commit to it being totally asemic (imho) but it is GREAT for discussion, especially due to the bird. And it might indicate an artist who might venture further into asemics & vispo.

Again, thanks so much and please share more! Anything you might think relevant! That's how this group has produced so much great work over the years. 

PS - Children make asemics literally before they can speak. So anyone can do it. But much has been written about asemics & many examples can be found & and it's worth some exploration. 

Comment by Mel Anie on December 17, 2020 at 2:18pm

Aha! I found out where to post on here! Please can someone help me to understand - but perhaps that is the problem itself! I drew a bird and someone liked it and also thought it was an 'asemic' bird. Now, why is this bird 'asemic' if that was not my intent? And it is not linked directly to text. Is something 'asemic' simply because it gets interpreted that way or does it also have to have 'asemic' as its intent? Thanking you in advance fbkharhgoicqevilq3cbil4vwtbilebcrl w,bry;ilk

Comment by borderlinegrafix on December 14, 2020 at 4:43pm

Comment by borderlinegrafix on December 12, 2020 at 3:17pm

Fantastic asemics from NBS:

Comment by Carien van Hest on December 12, 2020 at 6:43am

Got this amazing asemic drive from Ficus Strangulensis. Amazing work, Fike!

Comment by borderlinegrafix on December 1, 2020 at 4:33pm

 

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