Sunday, May 23, 2021

"desemantized scribbles" : Image-Text Vispo Collabs for "asemous font too" by Jim Leftwich & John M. Bennett

 


Mail art collabs by Jim Leftwich & John M. Bennett


I am very pleased that Asemic Front 2 is able to share new collabs by Jim Leftwich (Roanoke, Virginia, USA) & John M. Bennett (Columbus, Ohio, USA). 

This material, as you can see from the written comments on the card below, was routed via snail between Leftwich & Bennett circa April 5 - 30, 2021, packaged in an envelope nearly as interesting on the outside as its contents. 

A tremendous amount of visual poetry & asemic writing/art is currently circulating in the Eternal Network, not unexpected since public interest in asemics only seems to be growing. Documenting this material can help the effort to trace a history of marginalized poetries. 

The Jim Leftwich holdings in the M-L Archives are becoming a collection of significance. I've stated a commitment to sharing relevant material with the AF2 audience since work by Leftwich & Bennett is intrinsically tied to the project. 

Deepest thanks for this new mail art!

= De Villo Sloan







Mail art collabs by Jim Leftwich & John M. Bennett






Collab by Jim Leftwich & John M. Bennett






Asemic envelope by Jim Leftwich












Saturday, May 22, 2021

Three New Pieces of Asemic Art Visual Poetry by Nancy Bell Scott (May 2021)

 


"Marathon" by Nancy Bell Scott (Maine, USA) (May 2021)




"Mid-Spring" by Nancy Bell Scott (Maine, USA) (May 2021)




"Unidentified Desert Fauna" by Nancy Bell Scott (Maine, USA)






Thursday, May 20, 2021

Asemic Front 2 Review: Attic Magazine (#15 April 2021) (Nicola Winborn, Editor) (UK)

 


Attic Magazine (#15 April 2021) (edited by Nicola Winborn) (Yorkshire, UK)



In terms of transparency, I am thrilled to be included in this issue (April 2021) of Attic Magazine. 

Nicola Winborn's zine - in addition to being a notable presence in the current re-surgence of mail art - welcomes asemic writing & vispo as well as other tropes of the postavant. Attic Magazine & Asemic Front 2 have shared interests & intersections for some time. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to recognize Attic Magazine with some particulars.

First, Attic is an assembling zine. Contributors create their own pages & - ideally - no two pages in any issue are the same. Thus, assembling zines require more work for the artist; but I have always found my own involvement in assembling zines deeply rewarding. I find my favorite archival pieces are often assembling zines from other eras. Nicola Winborn provides a wonderful resource for the current visual poetry community.

Nicole Winborn is a talented artist. She also displays considerable skill as an editor: Managing the glitches & inevitable bumps inherent in assembling a global publication still relying mainly on the postal system. 

Reading Attic Magazine is a smooth & harmonious experience. Contributors' pieces seem to complement each other, build upon each other, even though I know most assembling zines are primarily at the mercy of randomness. 

Winborn uses a quiet, steady editorial hand to weave an aesthetic that synthesizes avant disruption with folk art & populist trends emerging in mail art. (The selection of the orange color theme creates a remarkable coherence, for instance.) 

Attic Magazine gives its audience a focused view of interesting current image-text work. Participation as a contributor is illuminating as well because one sees new relationships with one's contemporaries, thanks to Winborn's perceptive editing. 

The international mail art community has long been a supportive conduit for visual poetry, including asemic writing. Attic Magazine shows the vital synergy that emerges when these two groups connect.

Contributors to Attic #15 are Nancy Katzman (USA); Devin Cohen (Mexico); Lina Stern (Ukraine); Racovita Carmen (Romania); Laurence Gillot Artpostaliste (France); Nicola Winborn (UK); Kristen Szumyn (Australia); Michael Leigh (UK); Annapatrizia Settembre (Italy); Attilia Garlaschi (Italy); The Book of Blat (UK) (& me). 

The issue is dedicated to Picasso Gaglione. His presence might explain why Attic is also a venue for innovative stamp art. This could possibly earn the zine an "eccentric" designation in some circles, but my point throughout has been that Attic succeeds and, indeed, is a creative voice in these most puzzling times.

Deepest thanks to Nicola Winborn. See below for more information on Attic Magazine.



- De Villo Sloan







Attic Magazine (#15 April 2021). Page by Lina Stern (Ukraine)





Attic Magazine
 (#15 April 2021). Page by Kristen Szumyn (Australia)




Attic Magazine (#15 April 2021). 




Attic Magazine
 (#15). Page by Laurence Gillot-Artpostaliste (France)







Attic Magazine (#15)




Attic Magazine
 (#15)










Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Asemic mail art by Francis Lamme (Amersfoort, Netherlands)



Asemic mail art by Francis Lamme (Amersfoort, Netherlands)



Francis Lamme of Amersfoort, Netherlands, recently became a member of the asemic writing group at the International Union of Mail Artists (IUOMA). Her first contribution to Asemic Front 2 is this extraordinarily beautiful piece of asemic calligraphy. 

In addition to her approach to asemic signs, the larger structure she creates should be of great interest to AF2 visitors; we see some interest in asemic structures & asemic syntax. I look forward to the continued participation of Francis Lamme in the days ahead.

- De Villo Sloan




By Francis Lamme (Amersfoort, Netherlands) (detail study)