Beating the confinement blues, this is great time for collabs!
Kristine Snodgrass (Florida, USA) & I are doing an extended collab series, part snail mail and part internet. Not all of it will turn up on AF2 so I'll share some of the results here hoping anyone else who wants to do asemic vispo collabs will jump in with starters, whatever.
The magazine Art in America includes a feature on asemic writing in it's May 2020 issue. The article is "The Asemic Effect" by David Ebony and includes work by Cecil Touchan (IUOMA member); Scott Helmes (longtime visual poet); Federico Federici (visual poet); and Rosaire Appel (well-known asemic writer. Books by Michael Jacobson's Post-Asemic Press are highlighted. Michael is curator of The New Post-Literates, A Gallery of Asemic Writing. The article reviews Asemics: The Art of Writing by Peter Schwenger, which explores asemic writers/artists such as Nany Bell Scott and many others. This is artworld recognition for asemic writing! Hope the link works for you.
I've posted Lettrist-based asemic vispo by Serse Luigetti (Italy) at Asemic Front 2. Thought-provoking & a joy to view. Many thx to Serse for contributing to the AF2 project.
Dave Araki (husband of IUOMA member Li Araki) sent me this great photo of found asemics he took on the Lower East Side, New York City, April 27, 2020. I'm using it in AF2, Thanks Dave! Much interest in found asemics in our group.
7 new asemic-vispo mail art pieces by none other than Jim Leftwich at Asemic Front! It took a while for me to document them but they are never-before-seen and original.
(Anyone know Jim's address? I think he left Virginia.)
I received an interesting email from group member & visual poet of note Jim Leftwich who is currently traveling in the USA. He responds to the AF2 blog of his mail art (recently shared in our group).
He adds some info on the subject of the terms "asemic," "vispo," "pansemic," etc. which are causing some flurry in corners of the visual poetry world. Jim also tied his comments to some hard-to-find work he did in 2005. Many thax to Jim Leftwich
Many thanks to group member Jan Hodgman (Washington State, USA) who sent a fab contribution to Asemic Front (which I finally documented). Thx for a beautiful piece, Jan
For old friends who are curious: I'm not re-posting my blogs at IUOMA-Ning anymore due to the excessive technical problems of loading the blogs that are causing me huge amounts of time & frustration. It has nothing to do w/ my longstanding support for IUOMA-Ning or its current members (well, maybe a little).
Loading photos in the IUOMA gallery is easier so I'll continue to do that.
My Asemic Front 2 & Glam Faction (although GF is banned on FB) blogs are still active & I am posting mail art there. I'll share links at IUOMA-Ning when I can.
(The internet is just get less fun all the time!)
Thanks to all Asemic Front contributors - the project is still going.
16.06.20 Dare Mister DeVillo Sloan, ...am sorry to learn the technical particulars of this electronic world have become troublesome for you. (for a naive "luddite" such as I ---it has always been "Alice in Wonderhell" . Of late, I can't even read the daily news without being blocked with overlays & ads covering whatever I might be attempting to view.-----But I do wish to communicate to you that I have always appreciated & learned much from your commentary here at the I.U.O.M.A. I will continue to look forward to your insight & offerings. Thanks to you & the I.U.O.M.A. ( Mister Ruud Janssen). SinCelery (as I recall, I adopted this little sign-off from you), Richard Canard
I was just admiring a photo of you & Darling Darlene posted by Picasso Gaglione on Facebook. Picasso proclaims you invented mail art. There is a thriving expatriate IUOMA community on Facebook.
I have fewer technical problems on FB but of course the censorship problems are greater. (A so-called "fellow mail artist" snitched on me to FB authorities & thus my Glam Faction blog is forever banned - I know not why).
No question the internet is changing & not for the better. Blogging is no longer a "growth" industry & I found myself trying to feed 4(!) blogs. In many ways, it's no longer worth the time invested when only 9 people read an entry. That's my own over-extension issue, which I am addressing.
I used to be able to document every piece of mail art received, but that is no longer true & has not been true for a long time. I'd rather hear from friends & people who have a genuine interest in being friends rather than those trying to put another notch on the blog belt.
The IUOMA-Ning blogs will not allow me to load photos without a struggle & even then it doesn't always work. I can load to the galleries & groups without incident. Like you, I'm sure some of that is my own technical ineptness. I've also acquired a shocking amount of photo processing software that I am sure is riff with glitches. I'll repost blogs again should the "ghost in the machine" ever look more favorably upon me.
I will say that a few months ago I was accosted backstage here at IUOMA-Ning by a "feminist" who does not use her real name. She gave me her assessment of my personality - I guess I'm a pretty horrible person (but she doesn't know me). And told how I brutalize, browbeat & terrorize the women artists here on the IUOMA-Ning platform. Apparently mail art generally is also just an insidious manifestation of the patriarchy. So I tread lightly here for fear I might "offend" someone. I'd like to say I've gotten past this & atone for my past crimes but it has left a bitter taste. Oh well, time heals all.
Anyway, my documentation & writing continue, just not at all the familiar places. I'm a bit more geared toward asemics & vispo, but of course I love mail art. So really nothing has changed.
I documented a fascinating piece Gerda Osteneck (Canada) sent me when she was in New Zealand. It's a real study of literal textual decomposition. Many thanks to Gerda for contributing to Asemic Front.
I've posted some great asemic collage, vispo by Beate Sonntag (Berlin, Germany) at Asemic Front 2. Beate doesn't seem to be an IUOMA-Ning member but I gather she is in the mail art community. I'm just learning about her work. DVS
Not everybody is here in IUOMA. One superb Mail Artist with whom I correspond since...? long ago is Carol Stetser who just sent me several of her books from Arizona. Usually when posting multiples I only show part of the work not to spoil the enjoyment for the next recipient but as it is unlikely that many IUOMA menbers will receive this here is one of them in its entiretly.
Kim Kiriako (California, USA) is doing some interesting hybrid work with concrete poetry (typewriter art) & asemic writing. I've posted some of it at Asemic Front 2 along with a link to her ongoing Women Asemic Writers Exhibit, which is a tremendous place to see artists you know from IUOMA & from elsewhere.
My collabs with Kristine Snodgrass have been published in book form. I'm sending copies to mail art friends, especially the members of our pioneering IUOMA asemic group (but also just swell & cool folks like Bradford).
And in the spirit of SSP (Shameless Self Promotion) we know here at IOU-MA: Copies can be purchased via Amazon.
BUT I WOULD MUCH RATHER GIVE THEM TO MA FRIENDS. If you have not received a copy of "Whistle" and are interested in having one (as mail art thus no charge) send me a message back stage. (While they last)
Thank you for the posts and welcome to new members.
I have posted four book reviews at Asemic Front 2. Books are by John M. Bennett (group member), Rebecca Resinski (group member), Rosaire Appel and May Bery. There are vispo-asemic books.
Thanks for posting this set of reviews this afternoon. As usual, they are all succinct, yet expository.
One work resembled me, There’s No Telling What, in that my method of taking released documents of formerly "SECRET" or "TOP SECRET" classification and working them for a visual effect, if not 100% asemic.
BTW, your page background is an amazing library of non-lettered spines with only one undecipherable exception.
Thanks Bradford! I just used a Blogger background for AF2. I looked hard and found no title?
And no question Rosaire Appel is consciously referencing intelligence & legal erasure of documents.
Now, I contend in my "Deconstructive Asemics" about Ficus Strangulensis no lest that extremely distorted and/or cut-up text can be viewed as asemic.
Making texts unreadable (why would someone bother?) can be seen as asemic composition. Purists are probably going to stick with calligraphy as the mode for creating asemics. But I see so much of this text distortion in asemics that I think it should be mentioned.
Word-for-Word an online zine has posted "Beyond the Wall: Visual Writing Exhibit" curated by Tom Hibbard (Wisconsin, USA).
Tom Hibbard writes a lot about "visual writing" and writers and artists who are in our group! He is very supportive of vispo in the mail art world. A look at the exhibit can be really informative in terms of seeing methods the various visual poets use.
Thanks all! More asemics coming and feel free to post your own.
Welcome Jenn Miltenberger!
Again - thanks to all who are contributing to Asemic Front. While it has expanded, AF is at core a mail art call. So all IUOMAns are always welcome to participate.
Wow, received FAB asemics from group member Penny Reinecke in Western Australia. The postcard is shared here at IUOMA-Ning and on Asemic Front 2. Thank you, Penny!
Those who were here for the glory days (may there be many ahead) of IUOMA-Ning & Cheryl Penn's book projects in our humble asemic group will recall our great friend Lisa Iversen (Indiana, USA).
Like many asemic & Trashpo legends, Lisa Iversen is mostly "retired" from mail art after a decade of intensity (have you learned m-a is hard work yet?). But sometimes she emerges for a stroll. And she sent a textile piece to Asemic Front!
I posted a series of snail mail collabs done by visual poet Andrew Brenza (New Jersey, USA) & me at Asemic Front 2. I point these out because I consider them "concrete asemic" - this is sort of "dueling typewriters." I'd love to do more of these if anyone uses typewriters.
De Villo Sloan
By Alicia Starr Ryan (previous)
Mar 25, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Mar 27, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thx BG!
Beating the confinement blues, this is great time for collabs!
Kristine Snodgrass (Florida, USA) & I are doing an extended collab series, part snail mail and part internet. Not all of it will turn up on AF2 so I'll share some of the results here hoping anyone else who wants to do asemic vispo collabs will jump in with starters, whatever.
Mar 29, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Some really interesting process-oriented pieces by Kerri Pullo (Arizona, USA) at Asemic Front 2 from 2017-18 notebooks. A must for KP friends & fans!
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/04/from-anger-asemics-series...
Apr 3, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Apr 28, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Apr 28, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Apr 28, 2020
De Villo Sloan
The magazine Art in America includes a feature on asemic writing in it's May 2020 issue.
The article is "The Asemic Effect" by David Ebony and includes work by Cecil Touchan (IUOMA member); Scott Helmes (longtime visual poet); Federico Federici (visual poet); and Rosaire Appel (well-known asemic writer.
Books by Michael Jacobson's Post-Asemic Press are highlighted. Michael is curator of The New Post-Literates, A Gallery of Asemic Writing.
The article reviews Asemics: The Art of Writing by Peter Schwenger, which explores asemic writers/artists such as Nany Bell Scott and many others.
This is artworld recognition for asemic writing!
Hope the link works for you.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/76178850228/permalink/1015869678653...
May 13, 2020
De Villo Sloan
BTW - Cecil Touchon (in the Art in America article) is a member of our humble group!
May 13, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I'm having trouble getting lynx to work:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157209561550770&set=p...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157209561575770&set=p...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157209561755770&set=p...
If they don't work here you can find them in the asemics group at FB, my FB or via Cecil if you know him.
May 13, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I've posted Lettrist-based asemic vispo by Serse Luigetti (Italy) at Asemic Front 2. Thought-provoking & a joy to view. Many thx to Serse for contributing to the AF2 project.
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/lettrist-visual-poetry-by...
Jun 7, 2020
carl baker
oh yes, serse is terrific, one of my favorites, thanks for posting.
Jun 8, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thanks Carl Baker!
Asemic Front collab by Serse Luigetti & De Villo Sloan:
Jun 8, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Dave Araki (husband of IUOMA member Li Araki) sent me this great photo of found asemics he took on the Lower East Side, New York City, April 27, 2020. I'm using it in AF2, Thanks Dave! Much interest in found asemics in our group.
Jun 10, 2020
De Villo Sloan
7 new asemic-vispo mail art pieces by none other than Jim Leftwich at Asemic Front! It took a while for me to document them but they are never-before-seen and original.
(Anyone know Jim's address? I think he left Virginia.)
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/new-pansemic-vispo-by-jim...
Jun 11, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I received an interesting email from group member & visual poet of note Jim Leftwich who is currently traveling in the USA. He responds to the AF2 blog of his mail art (recently shared in our group).
He adds some info on the subject of the terms "asemic," "vispo," "pansemic," etc. which are causing some flurry in corners of the visual poetry world. Jim also tied his comments to some hard-to-find work he did in 2005. Many thax to Jim Leftwich
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/jim-leftwich-responds-to-...
By Jim Leftwich
Jun 15, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Many thanks to group member Jan Hodgman (Washington State, USA) who sent a fab contribution to Asemic Front (which I finally documented). Thx for a beautiful piece, Jan
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/asemic-portal-by-jan-hodg...
Jun 16, 2020
De Villo Sloan
For old friends who are curious: I'm not re-posting my blogs at IUOMA-Ning anymore due to the excessive technical problems of loading the blogs that are causing me huge amounts of time & frustration. It has nothing to do w/ my longstanding support for IUOMA-Ning or its current members (well, maybe a little).
Loading photos in the IUOMA gallery is easier so I'll continue to do that.
My Asemic Front 2 & Glam Faction (although GF is banned on FB) blogs are still active & I am posting mail art there. I'll share links at IUOMA-Ning when I can.
(The internet is just get less fun all the time!)
Thanks to all Asemic Front contributors - the project is still going.
-DVS
Jun 16, 2020
Richard Canard
16.06.20 Dare Mister DeVillo Sloan, ...am sorry to learn the technical particulars of this electronic world have become troublesome for you. (for a naive "luddite" such as I ---it has always been "Alice in Wonderhell" . Of late, I can't even read the daily news without being blocked with overlays & ads covering whatever I might be attempting to view.-----But I do wish to communicate to you that I have always appreciated & learned much from your commentary here at the I.U.O.M.A. I will continue to look forward to your insight & offerings. Thanks to you & the I.U.O.M.A. ( Mister Ruud Janssen). SinCelery (as I recall, I adopted this little sign-off from you), Richard Canard
Jun 16, 2020
mariano filippetta
your asemic documentation work is fantastic!!!Jun 16, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Darest Richard,
I was just admiring a photo of you & Darling Darlene posted by Picasso Gaglione on Facebook. Picasso proclaims you invented mail art. There is a thriving expatriate IUOMA community on Facebook.
I have fewer technical problems on FB but of course the censorship problems are greater. (A so-called "fellow mail artist" snitched on me to FB authorities & thus my Glam Faction blog is forever banned - I know not why).
No question the internet is changing & not for the better. Blogging is no longer a "growth" industry & I found myself trying to feed 4(!) blogs. In many ways, it's no longer worth the time invested when only 9 people read an entry. That's my own over-extension issue, which I am addressing.
I used to be able to document every piece of mail art received, but that is no longer true & has not been true for a long time. I'd rather hear from friends & people who have a genuine interest in being friends rather than those trying to put another notch on the blog belt.
The IUOMA-Ning blogs will not allow me to load photos without a struggle & even then it doesn't always work. I can load to the galleries & groups without incident. Like you, I'm sure some of that is my own technical ineptness. I've also acquired a shocking amount of photo processing software that I am sure is riff with glitches. I'll repost blogs again should the "ghost in the machine" ever look more favorably upon me.
I will say that a few months ago I was accosted backstage here at IUOMA-Ning by a "feminist" who does not use her real name. She gave me her assessment of my personality - I guess I'm a pretty horrible person (but she doesn't know me). And told how I brutalize, browbeat & terrorize the women artists here on the IUOMA-Ning platform. Apparently mail art generally is also just an insidious manifestation of the patriarchy. So I tread lightly here for fear I might "offend" someone. I'd like to say I've gotten past this & atone for my past crimes but it has left a bitter taste. Oh well, time heals all.
Anyway, my documentation & writing continue, just not at all the familiar places. I'm a bit more geared toward asemics & vispo, but of course I love mail art. So really nothing has changed.
Regards, DVS
Jun 16, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I documented a fascinating piece Gerda Osteneck (Canada) sent me when she was in New Zealand. It's a real study of literal textual decomposition. Many thanks to Gerda for contributing to Asemic Front.
ttps://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/a-report-on-textual-decomposition-in.html
Jun 18, 2020
De Villo Sloan
A post on pointillist asemics at Asemic Front 2 w/ work by the fab Donmay Donamayoora. Thx as ever, Dona
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/pointillist-asemics-by-do...
Jun 20, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Collabs by Kristine Snodgrass (Florida, USA) & Andrew Topel (Illinois, USA) at Asemic Front 2. Many thanx!
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/visual-poetry-collaborati...
Jun 21, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I've posted some great asemic collage, vispo by Beate Sonntag (Berlin, Germany) at Asemic Front 2. Beate doesn't seem to be an IUOMA-Ning member but I gather she is in the mail art community. I'm just learning about her work. DVS
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/asemic-art-image-text-by-...
Jun 25, 2020
Mail Art Martha
Not everybody is here in IUOMA. One superb Mail Artist with whom I correspond since...? long ago is Carol Stetser who just sent me several of her books from Arizona. Usually when posting multiples I only show part of the work not to spoil the enjoyment for the next recipient but as it is unlikely that many IUOMA menbers will receive this here is one of them in its entiretly.
Jun 26, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thank you, Martha. Carol Stetser is indeed a longtime mail artist. And her vispo-asemic work is of much relevance to our group!
Jun 27, 2020
Mail Art Martha
I am glad you like it, Carol is a good friend of mine and she will be delighted when I tell her.
Jun 28, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Jun 28, 2020
borderlinegrafix
Jun 28, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Kim Kiriako (California, USA) is doing some interesting hybrid work with concrete poetry (typewriter art) & asemic writing. I've posted some of it at Asemic Front 2 along with a link to her ongoing Women Asemic Writers Exhibit, which is a tremendous place to see artists you know from IUOMA & from elsewhere.
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/07/concrete-asemic-compositi...
Jul 8, 2020
Bradford
What words can be used to describe asemic treasure? Obviously, words are not needed to cast a spell so take a look:
Jul 15, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thanks for sharing, Bradford!
My collabs with Kristine Snodgrass have been published in book form. I'm sending copies to mail art friends, especially the members of our pioneering IUOMA asemic group (but also just swell & cool folks like Bradford).
And in the spirit of SSP (Shameless Self Promotion) we know here at IOU-MA: Copies can be purchased via Amazon.
BUT I WOULD MUCH RATHER GIVE THEM TO MA FRIENDS. If you have not received a copy of "Whistle" and are interested in having one (as mail art thus no charge) send me a message back stage. (While they last)
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/06/whistle-by-kristine-snodg...
Jul 15, 2020
Alan Brignull
Found asemics, road repairs or Arabic graffiti?
Jul 20, 2020
Mark Rossmiller, Ph.D.
Jul 23, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thank you for the posts and welcome to new members.
I have posted four book reviews at Asemic Front 2. Books are by John M. Bennett (group member), Rebecca Resinski (group member), Rosaire Appel and May Bery. There are vispo-asemic books.
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/07/asemic-front-2-review-may...
Jul 25, 2020
Bradford
Thanks for posting this set of reviews this afternoon. As usual, they are all succinct, yet expository.
One work resembled me, There’s No Telling What, in that my method of taking released documents of formerly "SECRET" or "TOP SECRET" classification and working them for a visual effect, if not 100% asemic.
BTW, your page background is an amazing library of non-lettered spines with only one undecipherable exception.
Jul 26, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thanks Bradford! I just used a Blogger background for AF2. I looked hard and found no title?
And no question Rosaire Appel is consciously referencing intelligence & legal erasure of documents.
Now, I contend in my "Deconstructive Asemics" about Ficus Strangulensis no lest that extremely distorted and/or cut-up text can be viewed as asemic.
Making texts unreadable (why would someone bother?) can be seen as asemic composition. Purists are probably going to stick with calligraphy as the mode for creating asemics. But I see so much of this text distortion in asemics that I think it should be mentioned.
Thanks again, Bradford
Jul 27, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Word-for-Word an online zine has posted "Beyond the Wall: Visual Writing Exhibit" curated by Tom Hibbard (Wisconsin, USA).
Tom Hibbard writes a lot about "visual writing" and writers and artists who are in our group! He is very supportive of vispo in the mail art world. A look at the exhibit can be really informative in terms of seeing methods the various visual poets use.
http://www.wordforword.info/vol35/Hibbard.html
(SSP Shameless Self-Promotion trigger ahead!) Tom included me in the exhibit, I'm not worthy etc.
Jul 27, 2020
Bradford
Great link/article! Thanks for posting that.
Jul 27, 2020
Jenn Miltenberger
I have no idea why it took me so long to find this group.
Aug 2, 2020
Jan Hodgman
A mighty whistle for WHISTLE !!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for this super compendium of colab aseic artworks!
Inspiring, enlivening. Yes!
Aug 2, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Thanks all! More asemics coming and feel free to post your own.
Welcome Jenn Miltenberger!
Again - thanks to all who are contributing to Asemic Front. While it has expanded, AF is at core a mail art call. So all IUOMAns are always welcome to participate.
Aug 2, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Wow, received FAB asemics from group member Penny Reinecke in Western Australia. The postcard is shared here at IUOMA-Ning and on Asemic Front 2. Thank you, Penny!
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/08/asemic-art-by-penny-reine...
Aug 4, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Two new collabs by group member John M. Bennett (Ohio, USA) & me (De Villo Sloan) for Asemic Front 2. Thx, JMB!
Aug 6, 2020
De Villo Sloan
Those who were here for the glory days (may there be many ahead) of IUOMA-Ning & Cheryl Penn's book projects in our humble asemic group will recall our great friend Lisa Iversen (Indiana, USA).
Like many asemic & Trashpo legends, Lisa Iversen is mostly "retired" from mail art after a decade of intensity (have you learned m-a is hard work yet?). But sometimes she emerges for a stroll. And she sent a textile piece to Asemic Front!
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/08/textile-asemics-by-lisa-i...
Thank you Lisa Iversen (aka Lisa Lisa, aka Skybridge Studios)
Aug 6, 2020
De Villo Sloan
I posted a series of snail mail collabs done by visual poet Andrew Brenza (New Jersey, USA) & me at Asemic Front 2. I point these out because I consider them "concrete asemic" - this is sort of "dueling typewriters." I'd love to do more of these if anyone uses typewriters.
https://asemicfront2.blogspot.com/2020/08/asemic-concrete-poetry-co...
Aug 7, 2020
Mark Rossmiller, Ph.D.
Aug 7, 2020
carl baker
like this? https://hyperallergic.com/581047/when-writing-has-no-meaning/?utm_m...
Aug 9, 2020
Carien van Hest
As an experiment I keep an asemic journal. Here is one page. It is interesting to practice this kind of writing.
Aug 24, 2020