DOCUMENTATION: Asemics 16 Mail-Art Book Chapter (Ed. #1) by Diane Keys (Elgin, Illinois, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Diane Keys (Elgin, Illinois, USA)

 

July 26, 2011 - Diane Keys' contribution the Asemics 16 collaborative mail-art book project delves into organic form and beyond to what I can only think to call bio-chemical (from biopoetry?) or perhaps better: alchemical. This could be considered a study in transmutation, or at least it might provide a useful metaphor. The opening page is on the right (above), and on the left is an asemic note designating the edition.

 

Somehow, and I hope she explains how, Diane Keys achieves a startling three-dimensional effect as well as a remarkable melding of content, a cohesion that I daresay could well be the Holy Grail of visual poetry. This is a bit hard to articulate: The work in the chapter has an ethereal quality that is paradoxically as solid as street art inscribed on a wall. Notice the appearance of the word "Found" on the opening page that is revealed to be "Foundry" at the chapter's end. Here are pages 2-3:

 

 

During the darkest days of the discussions about asemic writing in our IUOMA group, someone protested that abstract art is not asemic writing. This position was never clarified and, although taken under advisement, you have to consider individual cases such as Cy Twombly. A close look at Diane Keys' chapter reveals ghostly letters from the alphabet, fractured letters, partial words, asemic symbols, and shapes suggesting unknown languages and structures all blending together (hard to see clearly in the scans they're so subtle). I also believe I see a nod to connections between language and primal, biological forms - places where these elements intersect. Pages 4-5 are the showstoppers for me:

 

 

This is the first example of anyone in the project (my opinion) working in the same territory as David Baptiste-Chirot (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Through a basic process of chalk rubbings on paper, Chirot translate images taken directly from his environment into asemic-vispo masterpieces. Diane Keys achieves the same thing - although her method of composition is unknown to me - and, like Chirot, it tends toward the visionary far more than the formalist, or considered from another perspective, a found-art super-realism ingeniously inscribed on the page. Here are pages 6-7:

 

The sudden appearance of a torn slip of paper with letters and handwriting is unexpected. This might work as an idea to incorporate more into the pieces for future projects. Then page 8:

 

 

Harkening back to the opening pages ("Found"), we can clearly see "Foundry" - suggesting found art, language as raw material from the environment, a foundry where metals are wrought together as they are in the chapter (irony?) - a brilliant coherence built on two words that are nearly identical.

 

An extraordinary chapter (IMHO) DK. Many thanks!

 

The Asemics 16 collaborative mail-art books are coordinated through the Asemic Writing for Mail-Artists group at the IUOMA. Cheryl Penn (South Africa) is co-founder and partner with me on the editions. More documentation can be found at:

 

http://cherylpenn.com/wpb/

[De Villo Sloan]

stop monkeying with your ape-ron. sue, they call it mit-igating circumstances when the dish is too hot.

[De Villo Sloan]

stubbs just said too many cooks spoil the troth. I said stop swining

[DKeys]

I made the dress and apron myself Sue, would you like a set with matching oven mits as well? I'll get to that after I make those quilts to send to the needy.  DVS, you dodged a bullet today. You'd much rather me send you melted jello than a full skunk on dry ice.

[De Villo Sloan]

sure, but I can't get to Elgin - my car's a jellopy. try pudding it in the mail

[prettylily]

Better use a fancy mold for the special occasion.  It should coordinate with your apron.

[DKeys]

would you like your jello green?

[De Villo Sloan]

now, now, now - no jellousy!

[DKeys]

I can either make art or make dinner. My choice is obvious. Jello is a perfect idea Sue!! Guess who is coming to dinner!

[prettylily]

My bet is on Jello.

[De Villo Sloan]

Damn, roadkill leftovers again? Not even alphabet soup? You slave over a hot stove all day and Stubbs brings home the bacon.