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Volver a recorrer

Lars Arrhenius’ A-Z (2002);

Alexis Beauclair’s Globe (2008), Loto (2014 -), Photon (2014), Labyrinthe (2014), Compositions Binaires (2015), Perspective Fuyante (2015), Sol (2016), and About Series #5 (2016);

Jean-Philippe Bretin’s Non-Stop Road (2014), Deep Valley (2015), and Report (2016);

Alex Chauvel’s Toutes les mers par temps calme (2016);

Margaux Duseigneur’s oeuvre (2012-);

Vincent Fortemp’s Barques (2008); 

Jochen Gerner’s Grande Vitasse (2009) and Abstraction (2011);

Louis Granet’s Fort Worth (2014);

Matti Hagelberg’s Rakennusohje (2012);

Romeo Julien’s Astral (2016) and Chantier en course 1/7 (2015);

Stefanie Leinhos’ oeuvre (2011-);

Nicolas Nade’s Nobu (2016) and Ingredients (2016);

Ilan Manouach’s Noirs (2014);

Antoine Orand’s Sphinx 2 (2014), Stargate (2014), Claires Fontines (2016), How We Met (2016) and Relatives (2016);

Ann Pajuvali’s Kammib (2014)

Niklaus Ruegg’s SPUK (2004);

Frederique Rusch’s Untitled (Comic Book) (2013);

Greg Shaw’s Parcours Pictural (2005);

Sammy Stein’s oeuvre (2015-).

These impressive comics share similar subject, theme, content, style, period, and geographic origin. As such, they can be grouped as a genre. I call this new budding genre European Abstract Formalist Comics.

Abstract Formalist Comics indisputably and directly studies the most abstract and fundamental formal elements of comics such as space (Arrhenius, Beauclair, Bretin, Gerner, Julien, Orand); space-time (Arrhenius, Gerner, Orand); time (Arrhenius, Gerner, Nade, Stein); repetition / variation (Duseigneur, Leinhos, Pajuvali, Stein); color (Shaw, Manouach); representation (Arrhenius, Chauvel, Julien, Manouach, Pajuvali, Shaw, Stein); perspective (Beauclair, Bretin, Granet, Rusch), language (Granet, Chauvel); image (Manouach), drawing (Beauclair, Gerner, Granet, Julien, Manouach, Stein); texture (Nade, Manouach); spatial dimensions (Julien, Nade, Rusch); material / mass / weight (Stein, Nade); media / printing (Beauclair, Shaw); laws of nature / motion (Beauclair, Duseigneur, Gerner, Orand, Stein); dialectics (Beauclair); process (Beauclair, Hagelberg, Stein); construction / destruction (Stein, Chauvel, Hagelberg, Nade) and more. 

Jochen Gerner, Grande Vitasse

While many other comics also explore these fundamental qualities, Abstract Formalist Comics are different in that they predominantly are concerned about these abstract formal elements. This is possible by: a) depicting “process” or juxtaposing images instead of narrative; and b) having no language. The wordless and non-narrative comics induce the reader to concentrate on the formal qualities of comics, rather than its narrative and “literature” value which the reader usually is interested in the most.

Most Abstract Formalist Comics deploy the geometric clean line drawing and flat color. This emotionless and mechanical style calls attention to abstract subjects that Abstract Formalist Comics scrutinize.

Sammy Stein, Crayons

Abstract Formalist Comics are different from abstract comics. First, Abstract Formalist Comics have figurative (representative) as well as abstract objects in them. Some even have human characters. But the emphasis is not on the human character’s psychology, as in other narrative arts, but rather on physicality, displayed through movement or a singular area of the body. The human being is just another object within the Abstract Formalist Comics. 

Next, contrary to some abstract comics that have the narrative or contents such as Shaw’s Veuve-poignet (2006) or Lewis Trondheim’s La nouvelle pornographie (2006), Abstract Formalist Comics lack the narrative. Instead of the traditional narrative, Abstract Formalist Comics describe or juxtapose the process of movement (action), repetition, transformation, et cetera.

Matti Hagelberg, Rakennusohje

Why “European” Abstract Formalist Comics? The above-listed works are mostly by French artists and all are by Europeans. There are only few Abstract Formalist Comics in other regions. ITDN (2016) by Andy Burkholder and artist books by Sol LeWitt (USA), Re/Forma (2014) by Luis Aranguri (Brazil), 9gbb (2016) by Ryukyung Hotel (South Korea) and works by Yuichi Yokoyama and Tiger Tateishi (Japan) are exceptions, rather than the norm, in their countries and continents. 

Furthermore, while European Abstract Formalist Comics’ artists work and participate together in anthologies like Alexis Beauclair and Sammy Stein edited Lagon or structure / form focused Super-Structure, non-European Abstract Formalist artists work independently and there’s no anthology or publisher specific for similar works.

European Abstract Formalist Comics is blossoming now. All works were made in this century and most works, especially by young and non-established artists, were made in this decade.

Finally, I want to discuss the epitome of Abstract Formalist Comics — Jennifer Bartlett’s Rhapsody (1975). Not only its style, but its subjects and contents, are the same as Abstract Formalist Comics. It studies repetition / variation; sequentiality; panel; color; shape; line; dot; pixel; figuration / abstraction; representation; realism; drawing; painting; resolution; style; form; element / entity; rhythm; juxtaposition; collage; appropriation; doodles; flatness; nature / artificial; motion; narrative; grid; image, photography, low / high art, time, space; panel; art history; and more. [1]

Most importantly, Rhapsody tells us how to perceive Abstract Formalist Comics: rhapsody, like a music. We can read it by analyzing the work, like me, but also, viscerally appreciating its imagery beauty. 

No Amount Of Wine Can Fill This Void But I’m Going To Try Anyway

Hand embroidery with beadwork accents. 2015

by Kjersti Faret

Remember that when I say that magic and art are equivalent, you should not construe that I am saying that magic is only art; that I’m in some way attempting to downplay magic by conflating it with something everyone believes is commonplace and possible.

What I am actually saying is that art is only ever magic, that all of the spectacular rewards said to be achievable by magic are attainable through art, and all of the nightmarish horrors and dangers reputed to be implicit in magic are similarly attendant upon the artist or the writer.

Approach your work with as much awe, compassion, intelligence and practical caution as you would bring to an encounter with a supposed angel, god or demon. Art can kill you or can drive you mad as certainly as any of the six dozen performers in the Goetia of Solomon and if you doubt me then consider all the crushed or suicided artists, poets and performers, easily as long a list as that containing Edward Kelly or Jack Whiteside Parsons.

Art and magic are perhaps the greatest human works and are an interface with the eternal. Take them seriously; take yourself seriously and remember that your art and magic are as big, as powerful, as dangerous and beautiful as you yourself are able to conceive of them as being.

Don’t pursue them in the hope of wealth, power, fame or notoriety, or as a style accessory, but for their own sake. This is the meaning of devotion and if properly applied it can transform you and the world that you exist in.

Infant Daughter, mini comic.

Cast of Los Pastores traditional play (also known as La Pastorela, the Shepherds’ play), Santa Fe, New Mexico

Photographer: Aaron B. Craycraft Date: 1915? Negative Number 013695

Los pastores “is a folk drama that tells the story of the shepherds’ pilgrimage to the newborn Christ child. … The drama evolved into a comedy in which the Devil tries to distract the dull-witted shepherds from their quest and heaven’s angels intercede to keep the oafish pilgrims on course.”