Ecriture Infinie x Moleskine: The Project

Throughout history, human progress has undoubtedly been expedited when they have put their ideas to paper and writing. Either on the cave walls or on a piece of paper, in any form and on any medium, handwriting’s contribution to the world’s culture and development are without equal. One artist that clearly embodies this spirit is Cameroon-born artist Bili Bidjocka as he leads a traveling project called the Ecriture Infinie / Infinite Writing. The project was first presented in 2006 at Tokyo’s Mori Art and since then seven books from this series have already been presented to the world. Along with cult notebook maker Moleskine, an eighth book will be available for public viewing at Festivaletteratura in the Northern Italian city of Mantua starting September 7. Moleskine along with artist Bili Bidjocka and curator Simon Njami believe that handwriting possess warmth and an organic nature that the digital mediums simply do not have – together they try to keep this 3,500-year-old tradition by turning their handwritten ideas into this outstanding project.

A series of giant-sized books with empty pages will make an appearance around the world for the public to write on. Every signature and every stroke by the audience will be well documented and preserved in this giant-sized book before being wrapped and turned into a time capsule. On Saturday, September 10, Is Handwriting Still Alive? will be presented by curator Bili Bidjocka and Maria Sebregondi of Moleskine to explore the past, present and future of handwriting.