Frédéric Bruly Bouabré (1923-2014) is an Ivorian artist, poet, “re-searcher”, creator and inventor of the Bété syllabary. In 1989, he was thrust to the front of the international artistic scene during the Magiciens de la terre exhibition (May 18 – August 14, 1989, Centre Georges Pompidou, Grande Halle de La Villette, Paris). Introduced alongside a hundred other artists from all over the world, he would subsequently become world famous for his drawings on maps enhanced with colored pencil.
But in May of that year, Bruly Bouabré still cherished quite a different dream: that of becoming a writer. As he was getting ready to fly to Paris, leaving African soil for the first time, the poet was commissioned by his friends Odile and Georges Courrèges (then director of the French Cultural Center of Abidjan) to write the story of his trip. This is how, a few weeks after his return, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré would submit his “report” of 325 handwritten pages produced in “33 days”, in which he gleefully recounts his journey – at times punctuated by insignificant events  – while questioning the place of Man in Western society.
Until now, this tale of “a blind man in Paris,” as he first was to call it, had remained unpublished. The text – of pleasing findings and enchanting language – is that of an observer seeking to understand a changing world, with his own culture as a starting point. Imbued with such freedom and desire for identification and documentation, which characterize the work of this encyclopedic creator, the book is a very unique testimony to a milestone in the history of contemporary art.
Initiated by Odile and Georges Courrèges, who provided publishers with a copy of the manuscript entrusted to them by the artist, the project for this publication was also made possible thanks to André Magnin, who provided the original manuscript.

Foreword by Jean-Hubert Martin

nº 16 — A reproduction: what El Lissitzkzy wants. Author: James Langdon
nº 17 — An acronym: ACAB. Authors: Ariane Bosshard, Jérôme Dupeyrat, Olivier Huz and Julie Martin
nº 18 — A studio visit: the studio of Ines Cox. Authors: Manon Bruet and Julia Andréone
nº 19 — A history: graphic designer-publishers. Author: Thierry Chancogne
nº 20 — • SPECIAL ISSUE • “Art posters”: The question of the “poster artist”. Authors: Thierry Chancogne, Jérôme Dupeyrat, Mathias Augustyniak
nº 21 — A ski resort: Pierre Faucheux and Les Arcs. From the space to the sign. Author: Catherine Guiral
nº 22 — An original: Laurent Benner’s catalogues for the most beautiful Swiss books. Authors: James Langdon & Andrian Samson
nº 23 — A portrait: The Matser approving of his own work. Author: Ziga Testen
nº 24 — A theater identity: The Schauspielhaus by Cornel Windlin. Authors: Étienne Hervy and Thierry Chancogne
nº 25 — Exhibition views: Jonathan Monk. Author: Remi Parcollet
nº 26 — Production process: Print on Demand. Author: Manon Bruet
nº 27 — Rhizomes of London: Archigram and mental images of the city. Sonia de Puineuf

nº 28 — The conference: a format. Authors: Manon Bruet, Area Of Work
nº 29 — Girls, the Troopers of Dance. Aestheticization of Politics and Manipulation of Entertainment. Author: Alexandra Midal
nº 30 — Types of types: the typographic specimen by Lineto. Author: Olivier Lebrun

Forthcoming issues:

n°31 — An Edition: The Serving Library. Interview with Stuart Bertolotti-Bailey by James Langdon — available
n°32 — A Graphic Designer and Illustrator: Bráulio Amado. Author: Manon Bruet — available
n°33 — Ligneous, tentacular forms: Decorative invasions and man eating plants. Author: Camille Pageard — available
n°34 — An award: What is a most beautiful book? Author: Thierry Chancogne — available
n°35 — An eye: artists’ view of the modern world 1911 – 1938. Author: Sonia de Puineuf — available
n°36 — Photography suspended: Herbert Bayer. Author: Remi Parcollet — available
n°37 — A polygraph: Georges Nelson. Author: Catherine Geel — available
n°38 — A debate: Jan Van Toorn / Wim Crouwel. Author: Thierry Chancogne — available
n°39 — A series of cards and performances: My Calling (Card) #1 #2 #3 by Adrian Piper. Author: Jérôme Dupeyrat — available
n°40 — A collaboration: Les Urbaines & Eurostandard. Author : Manon Bruet — available
n°41 — The Image of Fashion: Forget (fashion) photography? Author: Aude Felley — available
n°42 — 12 or 13 things I know about: F.R.DAVID. Authors: Victoire Le Bars et Benjamin Thorel — available

n°43 — A typeface: “Typographic writing”. Author: Thierry Chancogne — Forthcoming

n°44 — A conundrum: the visual communication of neuroscience. Author: James Langdon — Forthcoming
n°45 — Made Redundant. (4 templates). Author: Stuart Bertolotti-Bailey — Forthcoming