DOCUMENTATION: Asemics16 Mail-Art Book Chapter by Cheryl Penn (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)

[De Villo Sloan]

Detail of chapter contribution for Asemics 16 (Edition #2) Collaborative Mail-Art Book Project by IUOMA member Cheryl Penn (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)

 

July 11, 2011 - Cheryl Penn's eight-page contribution to the second edition of the Asemics 16 project represents the impressive diversity of approaches artists from around the globe are bringing to the project. Here is the chapter's opening page:

 

Cheryl is primarily a visual artist who works in the visual-verbal area, combining text and image. The Chapter 2 contribution manages to synthesize a variety of modes with asemic writing as a dominant theme. The chapter incorporates ripped collage, textile art stitching, Burroughsian cut-up, and overlaid concrete poetry. In addition to its pure visual appeal, this work opens numerous possibilities for exploration of the nature of language and its structures. Here are pages 2-3:

 

The piece on the right indicates the Edition #2 Chapter is in some ways a transitional work by Cheryl. She has done some great concrete work using rubber stamps - a staple of mail-art. That work reappears here, integrating into asemic swirls that threaten to meld into the strokes of action art. The piece on the left strikes me as being a very successful integration of vispo and asemic writing, owing a nod to the gains David Baptiste-Chirot as has made for all of us. Here are pages 4-5:

 

This is my personal favorite because the asemic writing follows map lines. Many mail-artists make great use of maps in their work, and it's used to great benefit here. Some of Cheryl's newer asemic writing looks as if it were influenced by street art, but I know that is not a source of inspiration for her. Also in this spread is an application of screening - Karen Champlin (Illinois, USA) has achieved very successful results with screens too. Next, pages 6-7:

 

 

 

A true book artist, Cheryl has made each chapter she sends unique by adding one-of-a-kind elements to the copy foundation. The print at the lower-right is a photo that has been added.  I thought it was very interesting when Cheryl Penn began using circular and organic shapes for her asemic writing - breaking out of the linear mode - and the results are shown on these pages. The screened-over writing on the left is, to me, very expressive (one way to interject meaning in your asemic work), accented by the regularity of the grid. And the final page:

 

 

One term I haven't used yet is visual poetry - vispo. This chapter works as visual poetry, simply, if for no other reason, because it draws attention to the visual qualities of language and away from the abstraction of meaning through reading words. Language is very much used as a material on many of these pages.

 

Yet in this chapter, Cheryl Penn has not chosen to any great degree to explore the syntax of word and image that informs so much visual poetry. I think her Chapter 2 work is primarily textual and harkens back to classic concrete poetry, also revitalizing it and expanding its field considerably; this requires incorporating the innovations of visual poetry. 

 

Many IUOMA members are familiar with Cheryl's beautiful work for Asemics 16 - Edition #1. I don't believe this Edition #2 work has been as widely shared. It is more textual, more black & white - but I think very worthy of a close look. Many thanks, Cheryl! Also, Cheryl has a great mail-art blog where you can see some fantastic work:

http://cherylpenn.com/wpb/

 

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

24 books, Cheryl! What a FAB creation! And I like the way a "family tree" is made into the rings of age of a tree! I'd keep it...don't get rid of this! And me super appreciative for the three Asemic16 boekies...plus these perfect mini-divider art pieces:

 

and others...many thanks xxx

[cheryl penn]

Hello Momkat :-) - Katerina got all three of my asemic pieces because the book she sent - from the Byzantime Museum was foundational in my work. AND just because I had taken the photo - here is the original work which inspired the game - I have been LOATHE to get rid of it - its been the beginning of MANY other art pieces - 24 books (real ones), dealing with bloodlines and age lines - the family tree - the rings of age in a tree - all that :-) 

[De Villo Sloan]

Thanks for the wonderful photos, Katerina. So the maps are indeed South Africa - it's always interesting when people use maps, to me anyway. I don't know about the risks of showing us your feet - keep an eye on your shoes - DW seems to be collecting the footwear of mail-artists.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Seriously, now folks, this is a beauty of a chapter by Cheryl (as are the other two ;-)

...screens, map, and all! Me doing research as to where exactly is the location of Skietkuil.

Found it! (thank you, google) 'Just north of the Karoo National Park...yep, north of Port Elizabeth in SA, taking route N9 we could all met there for a game, too. (Do some game hunting???)

FAB boekie collection xxx thank you Cheryl!

 

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

no shoes necessary....

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Waiting for ya awl to get over here!

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Like Lisa said, bring the game board to GREECE! I is awaitin' for ya awl!

...on the beach?

 

[Marie Wintzer]

Dad charcoaled the BBQ meat. I should have played that board game instead.

[De Villo Sloan]

the result of the game is irrelevant. the sole purpose of the game is the perpetuation of the game! if the shoe fits wear it!

[cheryl penn]

Each block has got color coded circles on each of the sides which ask questions about the painting/artwork - on EACH side of the block - so some blocks will have 10 questions, come will have 4 for example - questions like - what is the name of the artwork? Who is the artist? What medium was the work executed in? What is the artists county of origin etc. Have to dig out the answers too one of these days.... I've forgotten too :-( - it WAS difficult! Poor D.W. he and his photos are being picked on today.