what I might have said

what I might have said no. 2
graphite and gesso on duralar
14" x 11"
2013

This is sort of a secret abstract comic.

What I might have said is a small series of drawings I made in response to a paper origami balloon I kept in my pocket over several weeks and pulled out on occasion to blow up. The paper balloon functions as vessel for breath as well as potential container for words and phrases that cannot be adequately articulated. The air in them becomes pregnant with possibility. The drawings borrow their panel compositions from the creases left in an unfolded balloon. The marks found in each panel are systemized codifications of text from an old book never read. The marks become asemic, suggesting story and cadence, but deny specifics. Some of the panels are empty suggesting further fragmentation.

There are seven drawings in this series which debut next Saturday at alt_space gallery in New Symrna Beach, FL. For more info check my art blog.

Wolfram Alpha Facebook Data

 

http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2013/04/data-science-of-the-facebook-world/

Comic strips are in essence abstract ; there aren't metric and duration (in comics).

Tortured Souls by James Mahan

untranslated - an exhibition

wall versions of abstract comics, books and prints

P.S. you're invited

www.schemaprojects.com

scratching

 untitled no 3

graphite, tape, whiteout tape, scratches on translucent mylar

2012

an evening of the book, Mai-Thu Perret / Varvara Stepanova

This is composed from scenes taken from Mai-Thu Perret's 3 film remake of a Soviet play from 1924, An Evening of the Book, presented at Lyon Biennale in 2007. The actors played the part of letters & books. Varvara Stepanova created the costume & stage designs in the original play. Plot spoiler: books from the post-revolutionary period & from the pre-revolutionary period struggle & the post-revolutionary books win, leading to a glorious future of new books & new publishers!

tracks

Some of you have seen my work posted by Andrei Molotiu in the recent past, and I'm pleased to mention to be a new contributing author for this blog. Thank you Andrei and hello to the rest of you. 

tracks

whiteout tape, encaustic, graphite, and gesso on translucent mylar

3" tall

2012

These drawings are subtle, and the fact that both sides of the mylar are used make it especially so. Perhaps this method of working on both sides of the paper makes the most sense if my background in sculpture is known. 

"Splashes," 2004

I made this around 2004, when I was still experimenting with how abstract comics might work.  The full-size files are on a hard drive that I can't seem to access, so these small jpegs are all I have for now.

Silk Comix by Erin Curry

top:  Catch and Release,indigo silk, 2013
bottom:  Flutter, silk and toes, 2012

Rainy Sunday

Rainy Sunday is a sunday strips serie whose the pages are generated by a "snake game abstract comic strip generator", designed by me.
Every page results from a snake game party,  the game over being the materialization of the strip.

Rainy Sunday 1, mFausse, 11 avril 2013

I had the idea of a "snake game abstract comic strips generator" by playing Pippin Barr's Art Game. 

'it went without saying' by Rosaire Appel

(abstract comic in Central Booking Magazine - april 2013)

Brandl: Installation detail

Another detail of my installation, the walk-in comic-painting-installation exhibition. The second section of the homages wall. Store window to the left with homages to Gene Colan and my Dad. Here billboards, comics, painting, pets. Thinking. The back wall, center to right. It has the cat Toby watching me think. I am in my own thought balloon (life-sized image). To the right is a billboard, like the very large ones along the highwas earlier in the US. On it is a comic of two pages. Above that are two other billboards, the full one bearing my hand with the brush "bravura-Zorro style" again. On the comic and billboard is a sequence (thus clearly a comic) of top left autumn (with a sign and leaves from Chicago US and Appenzellerland in Switzerland). Then lower left Gina the dog walks in, just her head at first. Then she walks through the scene, second orange image she is leaving. Right page: top, She is almost gone just her tail as an angel-wing-like echo of the Gabriel had in the big painting elsewhere. Last panel, bottom right, she is gone. Perhaps a loop. Definitely a memento mori (Latin 'remember that you too will die'), for Dad, Gene Colan, Toby, Grisu, Gina, Buddie and all of us. I am in my typical clothing, but in the pose of Velázquez in Las Meninas.

The List of Long Form Abstract Comics

I was thinking today about long form abstract comics and how many have been published. These are the only ones I'm aware of so I thought I'd post the list and ask if there are any others out there.

[EDIT: I'm adding every title that anyone suggests to the list. Read the comments below for the debates as to whether they qualify or not.]

schwarz : weiß/weiß : schwarz by Kurt Kranz, 1928/1929 (Republished by Spector Books, 2011)

Abstraction 1941-1968 by Jochen Gerner (Published by L'Association, 2011)

Das Auge der Verfolgung by Mark Staff Brandl and Daniel Ammann (Published by St. Gallen, Stoob Steindruck, 1998)

Bleu by Lewis Trondheim (Published by L'Association, 2003)

Blots by Andrei Molotiu (Published by Andrei Molotiu, 2003)

Alcoholalia by Andrei Molotiu (Published by Andrei Molotiu, 2004)

An Abstract Life by Andrei Molotiu (Published by Andrei Molotiu, 2004)

Parcours Pictural by Greg Shaw (Published by Atrabile, 2005)

Jardin botanique by David Turgeon (Published by Colosse, Canada, 2006 & 2011)

Error and Annihilation by Anders Pearson (Published by Anders Pearson, 2007)

Anonymous abstract comic by Anonymous (Published by Anonymous, 2007-2008)

Petit Trait by Alex Baladi (Published by L'Association, 2008)

Stray Thoughts by Chris Kreuter (Published by by Chris Kreuter, 2008)

Twentyfourinone by Mike Getsiv (Published by GetsiVizioN, 2008)

Nautilus by Andrei Molotiu (Published by Fahrenheit, 2009)

Rejkjavik by Henrik Rehr (Published by Fahrenheit, 2009)

The Intercorstal by Gareth A Hopkins (Published by grthink, 2009)

We all go down #4 contribution by Ilian Manouach (Published by SOAP Comics, 2010)

Where In: A Series of Events by Rosaire Appel (Published by Press Rappel, 2010)

Narrative in abstract drawing by Nina Roos (Published by Nina Roos, 2011)

Badman’s Cave by Derik Badman (Published by Derik Badman, 2011)

AH Seen by Derik Badman (Published by Derik Badman, 2011)

Pequenos Mundos by Diniz Conefrey (Published by Diniz Conefrey, 2011)

100 Scenes by Tim Gaze (Published by asemic editions & Transgressor, 2011)

episode x by Rosaire Appel (Published by Press Rappel, 2012)

and yet by Rosaire Appel (Published by Press Rappel, 2012)

an unauthorized account by Rosaire Appel (Published by Press Rappel, 2012)

treize huit cinq by mFausse (Published by mFausse, 2012)

TENM by mFausse (Published by mFausse, 2012)

Reconstitutions by Lucas Taïeb (Published by Lucas Taïeb, 2012)

Skyface Sensrmap by Brenna Murphy (Published by Floating World Comics, 2012)

Shrouds by Gary J Shipley (Published by asemic editions, 2013)

UPCOMING:

Abstract Sequential Art by Kym Tabulo (To be published by Kym Tabulo, September 2013)
Scattered pages from a book in progress by Andrei Molotiu

So can you think of any others, old or upcoming?

btw, I think these should be submitted to the Wikipedia entry on "abstract comics" so whoever is into it, could you please do that? It would be very nice. 

Center for Book Arts: 2013 Auction Spotlight: Rosaire Appel

Center for Book Arts: 2013 Auction Spotlight: Rosaire Appel: Like graphic novels and cutting edge visual design? Then we have the piece for you! Rosaire Appel is an exciting New York artist whose ...

Crank MONKEY Rodeo: Abstract comic art by James Mahan