Asemic Writing: Words Without Words

Redemption No. 3

Asemic writing exists in the space between language and visual art. It resembles writing, often appearing as handwritten letters, flowing scripts, symbols or intricate marks, yet it carries no fixed linguistic meaning. It invites the viewer to experience writing differently, free from the expectations of reading, translation, or interpretation.

When we encounter words, we instinctively try to read them. We look for a message, a story, or an explanation that allows us to understand what we see. Asemic writing challenges that instinct, makes us engage and think about what we are seeing. Without a readable message to guide us, we are encouraged to slow down and experience the work on its own terms. We begin to notice the pressure of a line, the repetition of a symbol, the space between marks, and the relationship between movement and stillness. 

My experience with Asemic writing started right here at the Teascarlet Fine Art gallery. I was instantly drawn in by the paradox in front of me. It spoke to me in a way the English language couldn’t. Being a musician this struck my fancy, so much of music can be interpreted in your own way and have a meaning that seems like it's tailored just for you. Asemic writing did exactly that for me. It takes an already amazing piece of art and allows me to make something of my own out of it. A meaning, a message, a feeling, all conveyed through text that has no specific meaning in general. It is such a unique way for a viewer to connect with a piece and one that I had never got to experience until working for Hannah. 

So often have I seen people get lost in the writing on her paintings. Some see scribbles, some see single words, even full sentences. It always intrigues me to see a person stand in front of one of her paintings and create a message inside it through the writing. It’s absolutely beautiful and to me it’s the heart of what art truly is. A message. A feeling or a thought. It seems to be a hallmark of Hannah’s heart. It is her way of letting out what she’s feeling on the inside and giving it to another person in the form of a beautiful painting. 

In essence it’s a message without a message, yours to create and adjust to fit how you feel or what you see. It is ART!

NaySay

Travis: Deputy Director and Curator of Teascarlet Fine Art