On the occasion of the Summer School Rome – Dimensions of the book, a project which is part of the Master of Fine Arts Program at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Istituto Svizzero hosts an encounter with the interventions by Sara Davidovics, Marco Giovenale, Giulio Marzaioli and Nils Röller.

From semic to asemic: writing, artists, books

That something can be read is an implicit prerequisite in the exact moment a book is opened. Taking this as a starting point, the discussion From semic to asemic: writing, artists, books explores the approach of “non-readability” in lectures, performances and book presentations, focusing on the asemic handwriting (having no specific semantic content) in of the history of books and letters.

The event will also analyse the temporal and spatial dimensions of books (both their form and materiality), which have evolved from the scroll through the codex to the electronic book.

As part of Rome – Dimensions of the book, the Summer School at Istituto Svizzero brings together artists, poets, cultural studies researchers and philosophers to explore how artistic perception and production are intertwined with the multifaceted aspects of a book.

Speakers: Sara Davidovics, Marco Giovenale, Giulio Marzaioli and Nils Röller

Programme:

H16:00-16:15 – Adrian Brändli, Nils Röller, Welcome

H16:15-16:30 – Giulio Marzaioli, Benway Series, Opening a translated book

H16:30-17:00 – Presentation of books of the participants

H17:30-18:00 – Sara Davidovics, Rome, Azimut. Libro di vetro e performance

H18:15-18:30 – Nils Röller, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Mundunculum – Dieter Roth’s book

H18:30-19:15 – Marco Giovenale, Rome, Asemic Writing

H19:15-20:00 – Display of books from the MFA/ZHdK