Asemic Writing for Mail-Artists

Thx JMB. I can see the scans, but there was a funny glitch when I posted. I'm going to re-post. They are on my FB page as well.

It's really strange how asemic writing is such a point of contention when vispo isn't. As I stated in the debate w/ Pete Spence, I am OK with the concept of asemic writing. Some folks are not. A lot of the material posted in this group could be considered vispo as well. There are no restrictions in this group, of course.

Thanks for posting the great art by John M. Bennett and Finnbadger.  As to the classification of Finnbadger's piece, I think all three descriptive terms for the type of asemics it is apply.  I also agree that John M. Bennett's piece was asemic suggestive as you say.  One of the fun things about asemic writing is that it is perceived differently depending on the person, regardless of it not having any real original intended meaning.  another interesting facet is how it makes one feel when viewing it.  I have a different connection to asemic writing when I look at it than other forms of art.  Just my two cents lol.  Thanks again for posting these.

Very good to read your recent perceptions below, John. Such fresh air.

Received "scanpo" from Maria Morisot-Moan Lisa (Iowa, USA). The overlays could be considered asemic or a way generating asemic symbols.

More blasts from the past: Another calligraphy-vispo piece by John M. Bennett. Appeared in "Outre 2" (1986) (Florence, Alabama, USA) (Jake Berry, Editor)

A piece by Carol Stetser that I think is definitely asemic. Appeared in "Velocity 8" (1987) (Port Charlotte, Florida, USA) (Bob Grumman and Christian Herman, Editors)

Received this great asemic piece from group member Rosa Gravino in Argentina. She does wonderful work that mixes asemics and vispo.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/asemic-vispo-and-mail-...

Rosa Gravino has extended the deadline for her mail art call. I know many of us in the group have participated in her FAB exhibitions. Everyone should send! She is very receptive to asemics and vispo that incorporates asemics, so have no fear!

Group member Jason Motsch sent me a fantastic asemic TLP (not unlike in format the archival JMB material posted further down in the thread). Jason sticks to basics here with b&w calligraphy. Incredible book!

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/asemic-tlp-by-jason-mo...

Received a great card from Richard Canard. "Readymade Asemics" were first introduced in this group, to the best of my recollection, by John Bennett.

Richard also once mailed Geof Huth a flattened beer can (maybe soda) that Richard also considered to be readymade asemics. I think I'll test a new term: Asemically Ambiguous.

Deepest thanks to Richard!

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/readymade-asemics-by-r...

I received mail art cards that include asemic experiments. One is from Thomas Brown (Baltimore, Maryland, USA):

Another from Erica Durante (Waldwick, New Jersey, USA):

Asemic digital collaborations with Jason motsch

 Thanks Mick and welcome! In fact, I am here to share a print Mick Boyle - our newest member - sent me. This is also a collaboration with Jason who at this point needs no introduction.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/asemics-more-by-mick-t...

Thanks, Jason! Getting better & better, IMHO.

And just an FYI for group members: You might want to consider sending vispo-asemic work to Jim Leftwich's mail art call if you haven't already. Jim is a fantastic visual poet who was literally present at the creation of the current iteration of asemic writing in the 90s, although he chooses to call it pansemic and has some interesting theories.

Anyway, his collab fest is a particularly great venue.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mail-art-call-by-jim-l...

Asemic for Jason:

Thanks Jan!  I posted your asemics on my profile page and tagged you in them.  I absolutely loved the colors and the asemics themselves.  Here's to more asemifun in the future!

I received text-based pieces from Joey Patrickt (Oakland, CA, USA). They exist on the boundary between the comprehensible and the incomprehensible & are very interesting, I think. Thx to Joey.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/joey-patrickt-goes-vis...

Welcome Mandy Fariello to our humble yet congenial group! Please feel free to post, discuss, question, etc.

I received a wonderful piece from group member Terry Owenby, along with a very nice note.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/asemics-by-terry-owenb...

Received a copy of "Digital Asemics" from our IUOMA founder Ruud Janssen. In addition to documentation, I used the blog to express my views over current debates about asemic writing, vispo and abstract art.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/digital-asemics-by-ruu...

Received 5 great vispo pieces (with asemic elements) from Jim Leftwich (Virginia, USA). These are tape transfer compositions.

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/visual-poetry-by-jim-l...

Here is "Asemic Tree" by Moan Lisa (thx to Moan for the scan). I've always talked about children doing asemic writing naturally, and Moan really captures that. Beyond all the complex theory, asemics are - at root - very simple.

Thx, Moan. I think that is a great piece. Already left you a message about it.

I absolutely love the work below by Jim Leftwich and Moan Lisa's "Asemic Tree" is wonderful.  Inspiring art at its best!

3 new works with black and white ink. Ruud Janssen, July 2015

Make sure to check out the IUOMA blog by Jim Lefttwich on asemics, especially if you are interested in history and theory aspects:

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/four-questions-about-a...

I received an excellent cut-up piece from Juan Lopez de Ael (Spain). Especially in light of some of the Jim Leftwich commentary recently, I believe it is safe to say asemic writers/artists are using cut-ups to create asemic symbols. I think Juan Lopez de Ael's work can definitely be viewed from an asemic perspective.

 http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/vispo-cut-up-by-juan-l...

Love the idea of using cut-ups in asemic writing.  I'll have to try it.  The piece by  Juan Lopez de Ael below is great!  Also, I like the one by Ruud Janssen below as well.  

"Asemic Street View" ATC

Meeah Williams sent me some great asemics in her doodle envelope of goodies.http://thepostalleger.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/doodling-in-colour-new... 

Experiment with wax resist watercolor and collage--some wax for the asemic writing and collage for the semic.

John M. Bennett with Jim Leftwich

Group member Jason Motsch (Pennsylvania, USA) sent me a FAB asemic Tacky Little Pamphlet (TLP). Thx to our history of boekie projects & the presence of John M. Bennett, we have some bragging rights concerning the TLP. So many thanks to Jason!

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/asemic-tacky-little-pa...

Received an historic piece from/by Jim Leftwich: "Spirit Writing" (1997) (above). This is fairly early in terms of the contemporary asemic movement. Jim, however, is not very comfortable with the term "asemic." So we can think of it as vispo as well. Many will automatically consider it a classic example of asemic writing, regardless of what JL intended or what people might have though it was in 1997.

The piece was included in a large batch of collabs by Jim Leftwich-Evan Damerow that have asemic elements as well as vispo and Trashpo. Documented here:

http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blogs/trashpo-as-frenetic-ro...

John M. Bennett & Jim Leftwich 2015

Not sure if this falls into asemic or vispo or both, being new to vispo but I think it falls into the asemic vein enough to post it here.

Thank you for sharing, Jason.

You might have noticed on FB and in this group to some extent there is an ongoing discussion about the line between vispo and asemics. Some very eminent visual poets, in fact, prefer we call it vispo and drop the asemic idea altogether. It becomes a matter of personal choice.

I have always felt that the work we see in this group tends toward vispo-asemic hybrids, and we have never kept much to purist definitions.

So whether it might derive from vispo, concrete, asemic, haptic, etc., - and the poster thinks it's relevant - then I'm thrilled to see it in the group.

Received an asemic card from Henry Denander (Sweden).

Thank you for your comment about vispo/asemics, De Villo.  It was helpful.

Much wonderfulness appearing here!

Just ran across this video---wish I understood French, though the visuals alone are fantastique:

http://ginsbergblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/spontaneous-poetics-131-he... 

Great link, Jan, and very interesting that it's on an Allen Ginsberg site.

The first time I can ever remember seeing asemic writing in a "real" book was when reading Henri Michaux (I think Miserable Miracles) in a college class. Guido Vermeulen was a big Henry Michaux fan.

As you might be seeing, Jim Leftwich claims the current asemic writing movement did not start until the 1990s. So this looking back to people like Michaux and Brion Gysin is finding sources who are influential but did not call themselves asemic writers.

I saw LOTS of asemic writing in the network before it was named: John M. Bennett has been doing it a long time as well as Jake Berry, just to name two.

Again, wonderful link that is very relevant to current dialogs here and elsewhere.

People have been playing around with fake oir asemic writing forever.  I've seen fake glyphic writing on the back of bricks used in Mayan and Andean buildings,