Décalquer

Marseilles, February 2023

The art of writing is less about recognising shapes than about being able to reproduce them, trait by trait, with a pen, a pencil or a brush. Before reaching the virtuosity of Japanese calligraphy, it is necessary to start by simply reproducing the meagre fragments of our Western alphabet. And for that, nothing is better than following apparent lines, without going through remote copying which requires very advanced hand-eye coordination.
If the post-it note has been marketed for its particular adhesive qualities, it is its translucency that is exploited here. The border of the white letters on a blue background – colours evoking the Hellenic flag – is clearly visible through the orange surface of the paper. It is then necessary to hold the pen firmly enough to draw blue lines and end up drawing letters that become familiar.
Once the work is finished, the author asks only one question: what do all these letters mean? After the writing comes the comprehensive reading.