DOCUMENTATION: Asemics 16 Mail-Art Book (1) Chapter by Sue Bowen (Norfolk, Virginia, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

 

Mail-art by IUOMA member Sue Bowen aka prettylily (Norfolk, Virginia, USA)

 

July 23, 2011 - Sue Bowen's chapter for the first edition of the Asemics 16 collaborative mail-art book project, coordinated through the IUOMA, is a veritable War and Peace of asemic writing, visual poetry, and concrete poetry. This chapter could easily stand on its own as a chapbook. Sue Bowen is masterfully eclectic in her art, and she brings the same approach to Asemics 16:

 

Sue's chapter uses many different kinds of paper and is a wonder to touch and explore. Different approaches to producing asemic characters and structures give the pages a thematic coherence. She is an incredible collage artist, and that form serves as a material foundation. As you can see, fractured letters are used here to create asemic symbols. In the spread above, there is a pronounced use of forms derived from concrete poetry and the color and fluidity of visual poetry - unquestionably a synthesis:

 

Sue Bowen uses the center page to maximum benefit. On the left is a copy of colorful shreds, overlain by the red-on-white strip of rubber stamp asemics. On the right is an extraordinarily subtle frame of vispo (the scan will not reveal the intricate characters embedded therein). The gorgeous red asemic writing is overlain on transparent strips - I daresay a total knockout, IMHO. The remaining pages turn toward more conventional asemic writing:

 

 

These panels work for me as extremely expressive and tonal asemic poetry. The effect is heightened by incredibly intricate, depth-of-field overlays that are only partially captured in these scans. The piece on the right (notice the choice of black) explores asemic writing played against grids and fence material, an idea being explored by others in the Asemics 16 project. Sue Bowen's chapter ends - like a well-made and arranged poetry collection - with a piece that combines dissonance and harmony, perfect closure for an amazing sequence:

 

 

Chapters for the various editions of the Asemics 16 project are appearing in mailboxes across the globe. I gather most of us involved are marveling at the talent and creativity of the contributors. Sue Bowen is decidedly NOT a candidate for IUOMA's Self-Absorption Ltd. Group. Thus, many might not realize her significant contributions to Asemics 16 and helping us frame this collective, new understanding of asemic writing that was essential to move forward. I am completely honored and thrilled to have this beautiful Book I chapter from Sue! Many thanks...

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks, Bifidus. I too feel exactly like I'm reading a good poetry chapbook when looking at Sue's chapter.

[Bifidus Jones]

thanks for blogging, De Villo. This is one of those works that I can feel, you know, right at the sternum--full of all the fire and tide any traditional text would convey.

[De Villo Sloan]

Glad to hear from you SB-PL. I'm looking at the scans on another screen. They're better than I thought, although some of the very fine material can't be seen. I'm relieved I don't detect even a particle of the crunchy peanut butter Dark wall smeared on the scanner bed for his anti-art experiments. I wouldn't want this to be some collaborative thing.

[prettylily]

DVS, Thank you for the blog and your thoughtful comments.  The Asemic group is an wonderfully diverse group, briming with ideas and a group willing to share them.  I'm glad that Cheryl posted Roberto's work.  Roberto and I are often on the "same page".  There are indeed similarities in our appraoch; combining  vispo, and Asemic writing.

 

TY all for your comments.  :-)  I enjoy hearing your thoughts. 

[1cgqtuoblpeqc]

oh is it? i did not know that! ;-D

[De Villo Sloan]

That's great, Cheryl. I see similarities. This is why I've felt that process on reaching some general consensus in the asemic writing group was important at one phase. An unintended consequence is a consistency in the work by many different artists. Oh heavens, a position? But not Asemically Correct! Or it doesn't have to be! There's definitely a crossover with vispo - not sure how that happened.

 

SH did end up pioneering zombie asemics too ;)

[cheryl penn]

Full name Roberto Rios Romero :-)

Another interesting spread. The left hand side - the glyph that looks like a treble clef - but its not - thats a beauty - you know it, but you dont. This is great work from both these artists - thank you :-) X

[1cgqtuoblpeqc]

although with all the zombies he's producing lately, he might as well be a romero!!!

[1cgqtuoblpeqc]

you mean roberto rios? ;-D

[cheryl penn]

I hope Sue sees this! I see an intersting corrolation between Roberto Romero's work (Puerto Rico) and Sue's.  Visually I see interesting similarities - AND differences! The strong use of color and overlays is fabulous :-) X