The visual poetry box set "Librobjeto," created by Prof. Gustavo Wojciechowski, Associate Professor of Editorial and Advertising Design at the School of Communication and Design, was presented on July 2, 2009, by Editorial Yaugurú at Espacio Guambia. "The theme isn't all that important; what matters most is the form. Here, the theme has to do with the body, the passage of time, and typography,” explains the author.
Interview with Prof. Gustavo Wojciechowski, Associate Professor of Editorial and Advertising Design.
What is a "book-object"?
"Book-object" is the term used to describe a book whose value lies not only in its content but rather in its form, since the object itself has added value. In a traditional book, what matters most is the plot or the story; in a book-object, there is a marked focus on the object itself—on the book’s physicality.
Who were the pioneers of this artistic technique?
The connection between the visual and the literary emerged in antiquity. The ancient Greeks had visual texts in which the visual composition was just as important as the text itself. In more recent times, we can mention the French poet Stéphane Mallarmé, who, in the 19th century, incorporated white space as a fundamental element of the poem. Likewise, Brazilian concretists, the Futurists through some of their experiments, and the Dadaists all explored this technique; in Dadaism, the structure of the page as we traditionally conceive it is broken, giving rise to a composition that is, so to speak, a bit more creative.
Who is currently developing it?
A group called Vo (La Plata, Argentina) publishes a rather object-oriented journal; in Brazil, there are also quite a few works based on concrete poetry, and in Spain, the Catalan visual poet Joan Brossa stood out.
In Montevideo, the artists who have worked with visual poetry—placing greater emphasis on the visual aspect—are Clemente Padín, who was one of the pioneers in this field in the mid-1960s, and Ernesto Cristiani, for whom silences are an integral part of the composition.
Francisco Acuña de Figueroa, the author of the national anthem, wrote "Salve Multiforme" in the 19th century—an experiment with permuted verses that can be read as follows: the first line of the first poem, then the second line of the second poem, and so on, allowing the reader to construct a new text however they please.
How did your "book-object" come about?
It serves as a follow-up to my previous book, *Tipografías, poemas y polacos*, which also features highly visual texts. This is a sort of continuation of that book and the work I presented at the TIPOEMACA exhibition at the Subte Municipal.
What is the book about?
The subject matter (of the book-object) isn’t all that important; what matters most is the form. Here, the subject matter has to do with the body, the passage of time, and typography. Some texts are more formal, while others are less so. There’s no set sequence, since each text stands on its own. Texts can be grouped together, but ultimately the arrangement is rather random.
Which audience is most interested in this play?
There is a primary audience that is drawn to the visual aspects, and there is an audience that is drawn to the typography. We’re talking about a book of poems that is more of a niche work: it doesn’t have a wide reach or a large readership.
What's the title?
The title the work might have is: “The title should go here.” Inside the book-object, there are four stickers that are cut out and pasted into the space designated for the title. In a traditional book, the reader has to contribute something of themselves, figure things out, or interpret the text; in this case, the reader’s involvement is a bit greater due to the format of the project itself.