Ābhāq David Felix
David FelixDavid Felix constructs a visual language from the fragments of the known, slicing English words into vertical strips to assemble a script that speaks through form rather than definition. In this work, his asemic lettering floats above a vintage abacus, bridging the ancient practice of writing in dust with the digital precision of modern collage.

Ābhāq David Felix
David Felix constructs a visual language from the fragments of the known, slicing English words into vertical strips to assemble a script that speaks through form rather than definition. In this work, his asemic lettering floats above a vintage abacus, bridging the ancient practice of writing in dust with the digital precision of modern collage.
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Art Analysis
Asemic scripts floating over the history of calculation
Felix begins with the physical act of writing, using a marker to list English words before deconstructing them. By cutting these pages into strips and reordering them, he strips the language of its literal utility, arriving at 'asemic writing'—a global practice where the script suggests meaning without dictating it. The resulting marks are rhythmic and dense, a fusion of ink and intent that invites the eye to read the shapes instead of the sounds.
The background features a vintage illustration of an abacus, grounding the abstract script in a history of calculation and order. The title, Ābhāq, references a Phoenician or Hebrew root meaning 'sand strewn on a surface for writing.' This connection highlights the ephemeral nature of communication, where Felix’s digital scan preserves a moment of 'dust' that has been meticulously rearranged into a permanent, graphic composition.
The artist reconfigures English words into a new, unreadable script that emphasizes the visual rhythm of lettering over literal meaning.
By physically cutting and pasting vertical strips of text, Felix creates a graphic texture that mimics the raw energy of street-level mark-making.
The work explores the origins of communication, referencing ancient writing surfaces like sand and dust through its title and imagery.
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