Asemic Writing: The Coolest Writing You Can’t Read
I learned about asemic writing a few years ago, and it immediately reminded me of kids trying to write before they actually learned how. They madly scribble across the paper after seeing their parent write, and they want to be able to do that, too.
I think they pick up on the energy quickly pouring out of the human onto the page, and it fascinates them. I can imagine how the instant switch from calm, in-charge adult to someone frantically scribbling all over a piece of paper must peak their interest, while the adult thinks nothing of it, since that sudden switch in energy feels normal to them.
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So What is Asemic Writing?
Asemic writing is a sort of abstracted text that more conveys ideas visually rather than actually saying anything. Basically it’s writing – usually with aesthetically-pleasing lines, that doesn’t use actual words.
Hmm, I tried to define asemic writing before I even looked it up. Maybe the actual definition from the Cambridge Dictionary will help:
Using lines and symbols that look like writing, but do not have any meaning: Asemic writing is left to the reader to interpret, almost like the way in which one would deduce meaning from abstract art.
- The key to asemic writing is that even though it is traditionally “unreadable” it still maintains a strong attractive appeal to the reader’s eye.
- In its most extreme form, this can lead to concrete poetry or asemic writing.
- An asemic text is international, and may be “read” in a similar fashion regardless of the reader’s natural language.
- With the non specificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning which is left for the reader to fill in and interpret.
History of Asemic Writing
It wasn’t called this, but some form of asemic writing dates back to 800 CE! Two of the most revered calligraphers in China also tended toward bouts of illegible writing, usually after drinkin’.
‘Crazy’ Zhang Xu was a famous calligrapher from the Tang Dynasty. Zhang would use his hair as a calligraphy brush in his uninhibited state. He is probably one of the first to be recognized for asemic writing, along with “drunk” monk Huaisu.
The 20th century saw a pickup in interest in asemic writing, with artists like Cy Twombly and Henri Michaux experimenting with word-like marks in their artwork.
Contemporary Asemic Writing
Currently asemic writing is popular with many artists who have embraced it and taken it in all sorts of iterations.
Cecil Touchon
I super love Cecil Touchon’s work, and he has been practicing asemic writing for decades.
Eyckmund Oog
2 examples by Eyckmund Oog – I only found his Instagram feed, but it is so worth perusing.
Genaro Barba
Mirtha Dermisache
Tim Buc Moore
Rachel Smith
Lisa Kokin
I also super super love Lisa Kokin’s work, and her asemic pieces are gasp-worthy. Scroll down to see her asemic stitching, and you can see a previous post where I featured her work here.
These pieces may or may not be included in her upcoming book: Promise the Infinite: Drawing out Babel. A growing (potentially infinite) collection of ‘drawings’ constrained by the first page of the Borges story The Library of Babel.
Michael Jacobson has maintained an online gallery of asemic art since 2008! Scrolling through will give you a good idea of how people have stretched the concept of asemic creations. A few of my favorites are below.
Asemic Stitching
Oh, yes. Let’s look at some asemic stitching. I love stitching for its ability to look like unfussy handwriting.
As promised, here is one of Lisa Kokin’s asemic stitching pieces. Just look at that wild energy that comes through in the thread. Honestly, I feel like this conveys the energy of impassioned writing more than some of the asemic work in ink.
And there is Rieko Koga, whom I wrote about previously here. While asemic stitching seems to be just one aspect of her work (which includes magical installations and legible stitching), I’m really drawn to these pieces.
Go Ahead and Try it
Looks fun, right? If you haven’t yet tried asemic writing, get ready for a whole new adventure in art-making. It is gratifying. There’s something freeing about your hand moving across the page, with either zero intention of meaning, or ALL the emotion and meaning you are feeling pouring onto the page.
It can be purely aesthetic, or a way to sort of secretly art journal. We know there are proven mental health benefits to journaling, and maybe asemic writing can be used as a very art therapy way of journaling.
What You Need
You probably already have surmised that you just need a pen and paper to engage in asemic writing, but I can’t write a post without mentioning my favorite art supplies. That would be the equivalent of recommending Bic ballpoint pen and filler paper. Blasphemous.
Pens
Since part of the appeal of asemic writing is the fact that it is interesting to look at, a good-quality drawing or writing pen is in order! Here. Try not to drool too much at these amazing tools…
Paper
Paper! Choosing your paper for asemic writing is where you can take it from something you just do for yourself, in your sketchbook, to an art piece that you share with others. I feel like a lot of asemic artists/writers probably started off doing this as a personal creative exercise and then some kept at it and focused on it as an art form.
Asemic writing is no doubt perfect for a sketchbook practice – even combining with paint washes or collage. Once you have a style or a look you want to explore either on a larger scale or as a free-standing piece, try these surfaces:
More Resources
Asemic Online
Asemic subreddit – very fun to scroll.
The New Post-literate: A Gallery Of Asemic Writing
Cecil Touchon’s magazine on asemic writing: Asemics Magazine “Reports from that wordless territory beyond the borders of language”
Michael Jacobson on Asemic Writing – an article on Asymptote
Christopher Skinner writes of creating an asemic font from his handwriting.
A really fun automatic asemic writing generator by Madhav Kumar! (When the page opens, just start typing.) I wrote something along the lines of, my face is having fun and I want to eat tofu rolls, because I couldn’t think of what to write. Isn’t it pretty?!
Books on Asemic Writing
Federico Federici’s book (see his work above), Transcripts From Demagnetized Tapes, Vol.
An Anthology of Asemic Handwriting by Michael Jacobson
Asemic: The Art of Writing Peter Schwenger
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