Techriture

This simple tiny chapbook reproduces linear doodles of Raymond Queneau that appear to precede much of the 20th century work in asemic writing. The doodles are extracted from a small notebook of Queneau's and they demonstrate a form of expression that seems balanced between drawing and writing.

The first of these actually resembles, to a great degree, the work of the French Lettrists, who had not yet begun to write. Most of the other doodles are marginally interesting but would be of little if any interest except that they are evidence of the hand of Queneau. The best work is the last, a "hai kai" "written" in eight "words" and three lines. It's documental structure tells us it's a haiku, which makes this piece marginally interesting, but not even close to as good as the asemic work Scott Helmes has produced in this form over more than a decade.

The book includes two interesting non-Queneau pieces, a "[s]imulated collaboration" between Queneau and Henri Michau created by Tim Gaze (the world's leader in the field of asemic writing), and a piece of Queneau-inspired asemic artwork by Christopher Skinner, which is by far the most accomplished work in the chapbook.

The chapbook itself is a beautifully produced work of art.



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Queneau, Raymond, Ecritures (n.p.: Secret Books, 2015).