I have occasionally indulged in Oulipo-based work before, after having been inspired by seeing Joe Dunthorne at Shakespeare & Co a couple of years ago.
But, as I've had to explain what this means to at least five people this week, I'll do it here too. Here's a neat, all purpose definition from Oulipo founder, poet Jacques Roubaud.
This usually means something along the lines of complicated linguistic rules. More fun than you might think. Really.
(And if you can't be bothered to do N+7 the long way, I just discovered this!)
My favourite Oulipian is* probably chain-smoking crazy-haired medical archvist, Georges Perec, best known for La Disparition, a novel written in French entirely without using the letter 'e'.
In the latest issue of the White Review, which is launching tonight.I've attempted to exhaust Perec's essay, "An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris." - a work in which the writer sat down for three consecutive days in the Place Saint Sulpice, Paris, trying to record everything that he observed.
The first step in building the Oulipian labyrinth as a visual is surely to create a key that is, if possible, more complicated than the words it represents. After all Walter Benjamin (not an Oulipian, but similar hair) once said
If you can't come to celebrate the launch of the magazine tonight (it's open invitation - see the link above) you can buy The White Review 3 (with my work on a fold-out poster) here.
*Oulipians are still considered members of the club after death
WOW. There is so much genius stuff in this post, I don't even know where to begin to comment.
I thought, for about five seconds, of leaving an Oulipian comment, until I started looking at the rules, lol. The generator linked in up there might help!
Hee hee hee! "WOW. There is so much gentle stupor in this posterior, I doodle't even know where to begin to commie.
I three-wheeler, for about five secrets, of leaving an Oulipian commie, until I started looking at the rumblings, lol. The gent linked in up there might help!"
(N+5 with the "gent." NIIIIICE. :D)
Oh lord. I had so many other things I was hoping to get done today, and now I am ruined by this whole Oulipian thing. Haha! I'm going to have to play with it some more...
I love the graphic versions you've created. I learned a new French word this past week, which fits this post in many ways. "Gribouillages" -- "doodles" in English. I love how my learning of a new word this week fits in well with this post. And hey! The generator even used the word "doodle," too.
I have an expression for what's going on in my head right now: mind asplody. I love the heck out of this post. :) Thanks, Badaude!
Congrats on the piece in the White Review, and have a great time at the launch!
Posted by: Paris Karin (an alien parisienne) | October 13, 2011 at 01:26 PM
OMG I am OBSESSED with Oulipo!!!
I have a love/hate relationship with Perec--La Disparition almost broke my spirit. But Queneau, I love love love.
Good lord, this post made me happy.
Posted by: gina @letterandline | October 15, 2011 at 01:42 AM
Delighted to hear it. I liked your post on Zazie. Don't tell anyone but, as I think copies of The White Review might be difficult to score where you are, email me (button on my sidebar) and I'll send you a low-res of my whole piece.
Posted by: badaude | October 15, 2011 at 10:04 AM
I adore the lifelike forms you've made. I studied a unique French word this past week which fits this post in countless ways.
Posted by: casino en ligne | October 15, 2011 at 04:10 PM
Thanks for reading it:) Would love to see the whole piece--you're right about the restrictions, though I'm trying to get my local bookshop to start selling the White Review. I will email you now. Thank you!
Posted by: gina @letterandline | October 15, 2011 at 06:16 PM
Cher casio en ligne - thanks for the comment: I'm sure there's some kind of OuSpaPo (Ovrier des Spambots Potentiels) exercise we can work on.
Gina thanks for your email: coming right over.
Posted by: badaude | October 15, 2011 at 08:30 PM