#Dom Sylvester Houédard

[garadinervi]

dom Sylvester Houédard, Typestract 140763, 1963 [Richard Saltoun Gallery, London. © dom Sylvester Houédard]

Exhibition: Sylvester Houédard: Typestracts, Curated by Andy Hunt, Richard Saltoun Gallery, London, May 26 – July 14, 2017

Catalogue: Dom Sylvester Houédard, Monograph, Edited by Andrew Hunt and Nicola Simpson, Richard Saltoun Gallery / Ridinghouse, London, 2017

[vispoarchive]

Dom Sylvester Houédard. "George." Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry.

[thequietestnoiseonearth]

Dom Sylvester Houédard - Chisholme

[thomasmartinnutt]

Dom Sylvester Houédard. 170664, 1964

[totaleditorial]

A visual poem is one that must be seen to be fully understood, where the verbal and visual draw strength from each other to produce greater meaning. As such, visual poetry invites us to consider not just the typographic elements of verse—the shape of letters, the spaces between words, the overall composition of a page—but also the poetic potential of images.

In our workshop on visual poetry we followed a progression of ever more acutely visual forms, from technopaegnia (a tradition of “shaped poems,” of which George Hebert’s “Easter Wings” is an oft-cited example) to asemic writing, where the semantic function of language is removed entirely, as in works by mIEKAL aND or Rosaire Appel. Defining a collage-centric lineage of intermedia practices from Dada to Lettrism to Situationism and Fluxus, we lingered on specific works with roots in those traditions: the “typewriter poems” of Dom Sylvester Houédard, Sarah J. Sloat’s diagrammatic erasures augmented by collage, the swirling “tangle of language” in Ava Hofmann’s “[A woman wandered into a thicket],” the typographic abstraction of Andrew Topel’s “Black on White on Black,” and Tony Fitzpatrick’s multimedia collages, with their densely layered personal and social iconographies. We also discussed several visual artists who employ text, among them Ray Johnson and Deb Sokolow, whose work, while not necessarily poetic in intent, nevertheless contains some gnomic inscrutability that seems to tune our awareness to the frequency of poetry.

As with any practice that operates across arbitrary borders of medium and technique, the possibilities offered by visual poetry can make a blank page extra intimidating. The following prompts were inspired by questions from workshop participants, and each represents a potential starting point for exploring the intersection of words and images.

Prompt 1: Diagram a sequence

Choose a diagram you find visually interesting. Instruction manuals and science textbooks are an excellent source.

Remove or cover all the labels and captions.

Now consider something you wish would happen. What are the steps between here and there? What does the end result look like? 

Describe each on a sheet of paper. Be as florid as you like.

Cut out each “step” and assign it a position on the diagram. Don’t think too hard about this part.

For inspiration, see Nance Van Winckel’s Book of No Ledgeor Flat-Pack by Anney Bolgiano.

Prompt 2: Visualizing voices

Start a collection of interesting words or phrases cut out of newspapers and magazines.

Choose one of these at random (draw from a hat, or close your eyes and pick one up). Paste it down in the center of a piece of paper.

Now choose the cutout that feels most like a response. Where does it belong in relation to the first? Does it agree? Disagree? How would that look visually—is it close or far away? Intersecting? Overlapping? Think about the different voices implied by differences in typography. Is the reply louder? Quieter? Paste it in place.

Repeat, with the phrase that seems to respond to what you just pasted down. Keep repeating.

For inspiration, see the work of Douglas Kearney.

Prompt 3: Finding images in letters

Start a collection of large text: newspaper and magazine headlines, chapter titles. 

Cut out individual letters or words. 

Now choose some of the most interesting letterforms and slice them further, vertically and/or horizontally.

Put several of these into your hands, a bag, or a hat, and shake them up. Drop them onto a blank sheet of paper. 

Glue a few of these down where they landed. Now begin filling in the gaps, finding points of connection. Try to think of these as purely visual objects.

For inspiration, see the work of Geof Huth and Cecil Touchon.

Prompt 4: Score an event

Choose a situation that involves a series of repeating events or gestures. This could be a sporting event, the traffic passing by your window, the sounds you hear in a cafe.

Observe for a few moments in order to choose 6 to 16 “events” that are likely to recur. Design a mark or symbol to represent each event. For example, if you are watching traffic, create symbols for cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles. Consider how you can represent the direction a vehicle is traveling, its color or sound.

Decide on a time frame you’ll observe and divide a sheet of paper into units. For our traffic example, we could sample ten minutes by drawing ten lines on a sheet of paper.

Observe, using your system of symbols to record events as they occur.

For inspiration, see the drawings of Lee Walton or Rosaire Appel’s “Unsettled Scores.”

Prompt 5: Simple asemic writing

Coat the palm or side of your dominant hand with ink, paint, or graphite.

Now hold an imaginary pencil and write about a memory you don’t want to forget. Aim for five minutes, replenishing the ink or graphite at the end of each stanza or sentence.

[abstrakshun]

Dom Sylvester Houédard (British, 1924 - 1992)

“A practicing Benedictine priest and noted theologian, Houédard, also known by his initials ‘dsh’ or ‘the Dom,’ wrote extensively on new approaches to art, spirituality and philosophy, and collaborated with artists such as Gustav Metzger, Yoko Ono and John Cage. His works that often incorporate language and known as ‘typestracts’, (dsh's friend Edwin Morgan coined this term “a combination of “typewriter” and “abstract,” are made with the use of ubiquitous ink ribbons blue, black and red), are made using an Olivetti Lettera 22.”

from Lisson Gallery artist page dedicated to Dom Sylvester Houédard

[las-microfisuras]

- Dom Sylvester Houédard, devozione private (dsh 101070), 1970, mecanografía sobre papel. Colección del Pérez Art Museum Miami. Foto: Sid Hoeltzell

[darrenmkellyarchitect]

[moriras-lejos]

[visual-poetry]

by dom sylvester houédard

lisson gallery currently (2 may – 16 june 2018) presents the first new york show of concrete poet, visual artist, writer and benedictine monk, dom sylvester houédard (1924–1992) and its first solo exhibition of his work for almost 50 years.

[fanzelteim]

Dom Sylester Houédard - “thalamus bride-chamber/sol sun,” 1964.

[garadinervi]

Dom Sylvester Houédard: FrOg pOnd plOp, Edited by Ananda Pellerin and Hannah Lack, «Faith In Arts» 6, Atelier Éditions, Los Angeles, CA / Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, Asheville, NC / Lisson Gallery, London, 2024, Edition of 500

Texts: Nicholas Logsdail, Ananda Pellerin, Nicola Simpson, and Dom Sylvester Houédard

[vispoarchive]

dsh (Dom Sylvester Houédard) - 1964

[emmaowensbcu-blog]

Dom Sylvester Houédard

Further research into concrete poetry and I found this artist. I really enjoy how detailed the images he creates out of words. 

Dom Sylvester Houédard, also known by the initials dsh, was a Benedictine priest, theologian and noted concrete poet.

[hbjbs]

music

FKA twigs (2019), Magdalene. Available at: Spotify (Accessed: 19 October 2021).

Tyler the Creator (2019) 'IGOR'. Available at: Spotify (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

SZA (2017) 'Go Gina'. Available at: Spotify (Accessed: 24 October 2021).

Nothing but Thieves, Moral Panic Tour. 8 October, O2 Arena, London.

books

Nairne, E. (2021) Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty. Exhibition held at the Barbican, London 2021 [Exhibition catalogue].

Hara, K. (2011) Designing Design. Baden: Lars Muller Publishers.

Walker, C. (2021) Your Head is a Houseboat. Melbourne: Hardie Grant Books.

films/animation/videos

Interstellar (2013) Directed by Christopher Nolan Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 10 September 2021).

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) Directed by Isao Takahata Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 17 October 2021).

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 17 October 2021).

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Directed by Wes Anderson. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 2nd October 2021).

Love, Death & Robots (2019) Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

Normington, C. (2020) She Got Confused // He Wouldn't Sleep | Persian Empire. Available at: https://www.conlannormington.com/#/persian-empire-music-video/ (Accessed: 18 October 2021).

Vox (2018) The decline of Hong Kong's iconic neon glow. 8 August. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdpEYzvi8pI&list=PLJ8cMiYb3G5dRe4rC7m8jDaqodjZeLzCZ&index=17 (Accessed: 24 October 2021).

Dream Perfect Regime (2020) DPR LIVE- Legacy. 3 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZGMbmYNkWI (Accessed: 1st October).

exhibitions

The Making of Rodin (2021) [Exhibition]. Tate Modern, London. 6 June - 12 November 2021.

Tokyo 1964: Designing Tomorrow (2021) [Exhibition]. Japan House, London. 5 August - 7 November 2021.

studios

BAD STUDIO (2021) BAD STUDIO. Available at: https://badbadbadbad.com/ (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

Twelve (2021) Twelve Digital. Available at: http://twelve.la/tag:digital (Accessed: 30 October 2021).

Hort (2021) Nike Just Don’t Quit. Available at: https://www.hort.org.uk/ (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

magazines

Stack (2021) A short walk with Flaneur. Available at: https://www.stackmagazines.com/art-design/if-you-want-to-do-something-outside-of-the-box-then-you-have-to-live-outside-of-the-box/ (Accessed: 25 October 2021).

artists

Stone, M. (2019) Magdalene [Album cover art]. Available at: https://www.matthewstone.co.uk/2019/9/17/ke31aq6lb2qf229pwi8uffehzn28de (Accessed: 19 October 2021).

Design Observer (2012) Dom Sylvester Houédard’s Cosmic Typewriter. Available at: https://designobserver.com/feature/dom-sylvester-houedards-cosmic-typewriter/37577 (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

Beksiński, Z. (1972) Untitled. Available at: https://www.wikiart.org/en/zdzislaw-beksinski/all-works#!#filterName:all-paintings-chronologically,resultType:masonry (Accessed: 17 October 2021).

Warburton, H. (2021) Holly Warburton. Available at: https://hollywarbs.com/ (Accessed: 17 October 2021).

Brice, L. (2017; 2019) After Embah; Untitled. Available at: https://www.stephenfriedman.com/artists/31-lisa-brice/(Accessed: 17 October 2021).

Ong, J. (2020) ' “Absence in design is very important”: Karel Martens on paying attention to the things we don’t see'. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/karel-martens-re-printed-matter-graphic-design-020920. (Accessed at: 17 October 2021).

Reva, A. (2021) [@savemymindAL] 1 June. Available at: https://twitter.com/savemymindal/status/1399767709294997506 (Accessed on: 17 October 2021).

Yokota, D. (2015) Untitled from Color Photographs. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/daisuke-yokota-untitled-from-color-photographs (Accessed: 1 October 2021).

Takahashi, D. (2012) Skyrim creator Todd Howard shares secrets of video game design. Available at: https://venturebeat.com/2012/02/08/skyrim-creator-todd-howard-shares-secrets-of-video-game-design/ (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

Barbakadze, N. (2020) Tarek Mawad - Into the light. Available at: https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/interview/tarek-mawad (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

Gagosian (2021) Artists. Available at: https://gagosian.com/artists/ (Accessed: 26 October 2021).

The Fandangoe Kid. (2021) What is Authenticity [Speech]. Chelsea College of Art & Design. 4 October.

Mike Lamont (2021) Mike Lamont - 2D/3D Design & Art Direction. Available at: https://mike.computer/ (Accessed: 24 October 2021).

[pswgallery]

ToCall No.12 is a special issue we are celebrating the heroes who are inspiring us - these heroes who enable us to continue and expand the traditions - these heroes we admire and keep so alive... Just like we do with the creation of ToCall magazine! it features works by 18 artists and poets.

The one-word poem on the cover is typewritten by psw and based on a poem by dom sylvester houédard (dsh), appeared on the cover of Tlaloc issue no.7.

The magazine is printed with a mimeograph duplicator Gestetner 320 on old typewriter paper made in GDR.

Mimeo printed edition of 100 copies – buy here