Tom La Farge, fabulist

After two seasons of teaching Oulipian workshops with Wendy Walker, this fall I have put together a course in such writing, to allow participants to practice combined or extended constraints.

For example: THE HUMUMENT, a visual-verbal form, involves the “treating” or alteration of a whole book, or enough material to be made into a book. The procedure involves creating a secondary text by selection of words or blocks of words, and then overpainting or in some way canceling the parts of the primary text not being used.

THE TAROT NARRATIVE begins with the creation by collage of individualized tarot-decks. Next, we create a key of symbolic significances for the cards. We design "spreads" into which the cards will be dealt, then invent the significance of the “houses," the places within each spread. Last we each deal out our cards and proceed to the construction of a narrative on the basis of the result, working with the significance of each card in the position where it lands.

WHAT IS OULIPIAN WRITING? Oulipian writing involves composing text according to constraints (rules) that are invented and arbitrary. Writers are compelled to say what they had never thought to say in ways they never would have chosen to say it. It is a method for making sense differently; for escaping stale, ready-made ideas, subjects, and formulations; for creating many and various alternative realities and discovering what is true in them.

In each class we will introduce several constraints, then practice some of them, then read the results aloud. There will be time for discussion of technical and theoretical questions, as desired, and for the examination of texts published by the members of OULIPO and by others practicing similar constraints: Italo Calvino, Georges Perec, Harry Mathews, Raymond Queneau, Raymond Roussel, Gilbert Sorrentino, Doug Nufer, Tom Phillips, Ronald Johnson, Jen Bervin, and many others. Participants will be invited to come early to the gallery to browse the Proteus Gowanus Oulipo Library and Bookstore.

The class will take place at the gallery, 543 Union Street at Nevins in Brooklyn (enter by the Nevins Street gate). To get there by subway, take the F or G train to Carroll Street, walk north (inbound, towards downtown) to Union then right till you cross the canal. The building is on your left; turn the corner onto Nevins and look for the blue Proteus Gowanus sign. Or take the M or R train to Union Street and walk west (downhill) to Nevins. You can transfer to the M or R from the 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains at Atlantic Avenue; Union is one stop from there.

We will meet on ten Thursday evenings, starting September 25th, from 6:30 – 8:30. The cost is $275 per participant, paid in advance. Individual classes cost $35, paid at the door. For reservations, call or email the gallery (718.243.1572
, info@proteusgowanus.com) or Tom (917.400.2187; tlafarge@rcn.com).

No texts are required, though the Oulipo Compendium, eds. Harry Mathews and Alastair Brotchie (Atlas/Make Now, 2005) is highly recommended. For certain classes you’ll be asked to bring a dictionary, or some simple art supplies such as markers, or a book to alter. Otherwise bring writing tools, a scissors, and a gluestick, or buy them at the gallery.

For the schedule and syllabus, please see the sidebar on the right of this page.