Asemic Algorithms: Writing Without Meaning
Asemic writing is a wordless, open semantic form of writing that does not attempt to communicate any message beyond its nature as writing, and doesn’t necessarily convey information. The development of artificial intelligence has led to the creation of models capable of generating text that resembles human language. However, these models often struggle to produce meaningful content, frequently resulting in gibberish or distorted text that is difficult to read or completely illegible.
Korina gallika (b.1995, Veria) is an independent graphic designer, based between Basel & Athens. Her practice is defined by working in a close discussion with other creatives. It functions as a node, connecting disciplines as diverse as publishing, digital design, printing and graphic illustration. She has been awarded with the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (2022), Type Directors Club Award (2022) and EBGE (1st Prize For Young Creatives, Greek Graphic Design Awards, 2021). Her book "Shutter" was published by Dolce.pub (2019).
This workshop explored the intersection of asemic writing and artificial intelligence — a space where human intention meets machine error, blurring the lines between language and visual form. Through a mix of theory, experimentation, and hands-on making, we examined how asemic writing and AI-generated text challenge conventional ideas of legibility, authorship, and communication.
- We experimented with AI language models (such as ChatGPT and Midjourney), intentionally generating broken or unreadable outputs.
- These outputs were used as starting points for typographic and graphic compositions.
- Participants created individual or collaborative asemic scripts born from the dialogue between the human hand and algorithmic randomness.
Objective: To approach asemic writing not as a lack of meaning, but as a space of freedom and experimentation.