“Surrogate” – a collage with asemics – by Amy Irwen (Rosemount, Minnesota, USA)
Amy Irwen participated in Asemic Front previously with collabs. Now she has sent a beautiful solo collage with asemic writing which I am thrilled to share. The circular asemics are an excellent structural device as are the text-image relations that make this piece visual poetry as well. Here is a closer look:
And the reverse side:
And the envelope:
Asemic Front collab by Rebecca Resinski (Arkansas, USA) & De Villo Sloan (New York, USA)
Asemic Front collab by Rebecca Resinski (Arkansas, USA) & De Villo Sloan (New York, USA)
Collab foundation by Rebecca Resinski
“Homage to John Gayer’s Outgoing” by Richard Canard (Carbondale, Illinois, USA)
Visual poetry by Chris Wells (Columbus, Ohio, USA)
“Sunlight through trees on water” by Rebecca Resinski (Conway, Arkansas, USA)
Asemics by Yayoi S.W. (Kirkland, Washington, USA)
Yayoi S.W. is creating wonderful art and sharing it via the Eternal Network. She is receiving rave responses. Because her work is often image-text and/or asemic, she has captured the interest of the vispo and asemics communities as well. I’ve already been thrilled to include her work in the Asemic Front project. Her asemics are becoming, in my estimation, more refined and expressive. I am now happy to have new solo work by Yayoi S.W. to share. For those versed in mail art, you might note that she appears to be part of the Mail Art 365 project, a huge worldwide effort that requires a great deal of discipline.
DVS
Detail of asemic writing by Yayoi S.W.
Asemic visual poetry by Yayoi S.W.
Collab by Tiina Kainulainen (Helsinki, Finland) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA)
Collab foundation by Tiina Kainulainen
Collab by Tiina Kainulainen & De Villo Sloan
Collab by Tiina Kainulainen & De Villo Sloan
Mail art by Ruud Janssen (Breda, Netherlands)
Ruud Janssen – already a contributor to the Asemic Front project – sent this fascinating correspondence art package. A main preoccupation of the piece is exploring asemics and the way signs and symbols are expressed through various modes. These range from “obsolete technologies” to the digital realm and are all addressed in this multi-faceted work.
Ruud Janssen devotes one of his well-known, hand-painted envelopes to establish the themes. I believe this is the first of his painted envelopes that purposefully uses asemic writing. Here is the reverse side of the envelope:
The envelope contains a copy of a letter that reflects on the experience of using a typewriter in the Digital Age and the ironies of snail mailing a letter when email is available. Ruud Janssen addresses ideas concerning copies vs. “authentic” texts, a subject of perennial interest to artists on the conceptual side of things. For me, this “letter” works as a conceptual essay (of significance I would add) that encompasses numerous topics including the current status of traditional mail art. I believe Diane Keys (Elgin, Illinois, USA) also received a copy of this piece:
The reverse side:
This piece was also included:
Mail art by Ruud Janssen (Breda, Netherlands)
On the envelope (top scan), Ruud Janssen asks about a connection between asemic writing and Chaos Theory. I wager he knows more about Chaos Theory than I do. I do know that current asemic writers are discussing randomness, formlessness and even discoveries of physics proper (areas I associate with Chaos Theory) as tools to generate asemic signs, symbols and structures. Various kinds of computer randomness generators could be used to generate asemics. But I am not sure if this is what Ruud Janssen is asking. As Gertrude Stein said, “What was the question?”
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Collab by Michael Orr (Clarkston, Georgia, USA) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA). Type-over by DVS.
Collabs by Michael Orr (Clarkston, Georgia, USA) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA). Type-over by DVS.
Asemic Front collab by Michael Orr (Clarkston, Georgia, USA) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA)
These snail mail collaborations between Michael Orr and me took a long time as they were scheduled early in the Asemic Front project. I believe they turned out very well as the result of Michael Orr’s contemplation.
For me, these pieces are rooted in the geometry of traditional concrete (typewriter art) poetry. However, they depart into the digital realm showing an evolution in technology (digital glitch images have been integrated). Ironically, these pieces were composed using traditional collage technique (scissors and glue). Granted, some of the outcome is based purely on Michael Orr’s unique and recognizable style. It has been great to be able to work with him.
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By Michael Orr and De Villo Sloan
And a detail study:
Asemic Front collab by Michael Orr (Clarkston, Georgia, USA) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA
Version #2:
A detail pic:
Asemic visual poetry collaboration by Laura Ortiz (Toronto, Canada) and Donmay Donamayoora (Connecticut, USA)
Laura Ortiz and Donmay Donamayoora have already made important contributions to Asemic Front. They are welcome contributors always.
Today I am thrilled to be able to present the first Ortiz-Donamayoora collab that has ever appeared on AF. I believe the work is a remarkable success that highlights the talents of both Ortiz and Donamayoora.
They are both receiving much acclaim in the asemic and visual poetry communities. The symbols and structures (asemic syntax), as well as the foundational visual aesthetics, reveal why these two women are so admired. I am very happy to be able to share this piece on Asemic Front. Some detail studies are included as well.
DVS
By Laura Ortiz and Donmay Donamayoora
Collab by Audrey Enough (Montreal, Canada) & De Villo Sloan (Auburn, New York, USA) for the Asemic Front “Studies in Material Culture Series.”
I am thrilled to have completed these AF collabs with the enigmatic but extremely talented Audrey Enough. We have managed to produce another piece for the “Studies in Material Culture Series” as well. Audrey Enough’s art tends toward the abstract and minimal, which is a perfect match for my own style. I hope we can complete more pieces in the future.
DVS
Asemic visual poetry collab by Audrey Enough (Canada) & De Villo Sloan (USA)
Asemic Front 