Asemic Poetry: “10 Sonnets” by Lucinda Sherlock (Perth, Australia)

10 Sonnets by Lucinda Sherlock (Perth, Australia)

Lucinda Sherlock is receiving, deservedly I believe, much positive attention in asemic and vispo circles these days. She is producing remarkably original asemic calligraphy and visual-textual compositions, including extended works like this artist’s book she sent me. At the same time, she is extending the vital tradition of visual poetry (and now asemics) in Australia.

Inside front cover and title page:

Lucinda Sherlock’s 10 Sonnets is a beautifully crafted artists book and makes a substantial contribution both conceptually and materially to the growing area of asemic poetry. By choosing sonnets, she focuses her notion of asemic poetry on form from a numerical perspective.

Most of the pieces are built around a 14-line structure, although the lines are vertical in some pieces. The shape signifies the sonnet form; but beyond that anchoring, there is little possibility that the pieces can be read in any conventional way. Yet they manage to be “poetic.” The colours, text-ures and asemic syntax (among other elements) offer a wide emotional landscape for the “reader” and explore the classic terrain of the sonnet in new ways.