Codex Sereraphinianus

Jonas · 05-28-2009, 06:31 PM

In the late 70's, an Italian architect/artist/designer named Luigi Serafini wrote a book called 'Codex Sereraphinianus'. It was written in a strange language, that is still not decipherable today. basically its a graphical encyclopedia about a parallel universe pretty much. Really it is a sort of parody about our world.

The amount of detail and precision that went into this is really fucking remarkable. Just how imaginative this guy must have been to create this book to such a high degree just blows my mind.

I tried to post a thread hinting about this, just showing the illustrations of the book, in FFA. I wanted to see if anyone here knew about this book. I wanted to show yahooka a little glimpse of this, and well, as people noticed the thread and responded, it was not taken the way I felt it should. hence me making this thread now.

also, this quote describes the book much better than I can:

Quote:

Codex Seraphinianus is a much more elaborate work. In fact, it is a highly idiosyncratic magnum opus by an Italian architect indulging his sense of fancy to the hilt. It consists of two volumes in a completely invented language (including the numbering system, which is itself rather esoteric), penned entirely by the author, accompanied by thousands of beautifully drawn colour pictures of the most fantastic scenes, machines, beasts, feasts, and so on. It purports to be a vast encyclopedia of a hypothetical land somewhat like the earth, with many creatures resembling people to various degrees, but many creatures of unheard-of bizarreness promenading throughout the countryside. Serafini has sections on physics, chemistry, mineralogy (including many drawings of elaborate gems), geography, botany, zoology, sociology, linguistics, technology, architecture, sports (of all sorts), clothing, and so on. The pictures have their own internal logic, but to our eyes they are filled with utter non sequiturs.

A typical example depicts an automobile chassis covered with some huge piece of what appears to be melting gum in the shape of a small mountain range. All over the gum are small insects, and the wheels of the “car” appear to have melted as well. The explanation is all there for anyone to read, if they can decipher Serafinian. Unfortunately, no one knows that language. Fortunately, on another page there is one picture of a scholar standing by what is apparently a Rosetta Stone. Unfortunately, the only language on it, besides Serafinian itself, is an unknown kind of hieroglyphics. Thus the stone is of no help unless you already know Serafinian. Oh, well… Many of the pictures are grotesque and disturbing, but others are extremely beautiful and visionary. The inventiveness that it took to come up with all these conceptions of a hypothetical land is staggering.

Anyways, here's a good scanning of the entire book. I recommend smoking a bowl (atleast one...) and taking a good long gander at it.
Codex Sereraphinianus

al-Mu'akhkhir · 05-28-2009, 06:44 PM

looks like a bunch of nonsense to me... can you explain to me what is appealing about a picture book containing no decipherable information?

Cerpin Taxt · 05-28-2009, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jonas

It was written in a strange language, that is still not decipherable today.

Perhaps the writing is a clue to the answer of the Voynich Manuscript ... Probably not, but interesting none the less.

Quote:

basically its a graphical encyclopedia about a parallel universe pretty much. Really it is a sort of parody about our world.

Also very interesting... surrealist with a kind of basis in our most formal and straightforward literature/art.

Edit: The melting-into-one of the polar opposites of architecturual qualities.... structure vs. chaos, explanation vs. confusion, known vs. unknown...

al-Mu'akhkhir · 05-28-2009, 07:03 PM

meh i fail to see how this is interesting, it's basically nonsense - no matter how long you look through this book, you're not going to discover anything. I doubt luigi intended to convey any sort of information with it.. let's be realistic; it was written/illustrated in the 70's..

Cerpin Taxt · 05-28-2009, 07:08 PM

I think it's more a matter of explaining the forces behind creating such works, rather than trying to explain the contents in and of themselves

al-Mu'akhkhir · 05-28-2009, 07:09 PM

be that as it may this seems like little more than a glorified childrens picture book to me.

Cerpin Taxt · 05-28-2009, 07:19 PM

Tis a matter of perspective mang... as with all things.

Jonas · 05-28-2009, 09:52 PM

ugh. fuckbot, I don't even know where to begin... What I'm going to say is not going to mean anything to you, so if you have nothing contributing to say, then GTFO of my thread.

Every page in this 'book' gives me miles of inspiration. it just makes me think in ways i normally wouldn't.

To me it is a remarkable study of abstract thinking, done strictly to an orderly schedule and a high degree of detail.

I could stare at one of the pages (especially the last chapter) for minutes/hours on end and it gives me so many ideas, so many awesome ideas, it just makes my brain happy and exercised

Like I said before, if you have nothing contributing to say, then say it in FFA...

stonerkid · 05-28-2009, 10:40 PM

cool book

verklingen · 05-29-2009, 09:55 AM

seems like the kinda guy who nowadays would live for tabletop rpg's

and fyi i don't really consider that a bad thing

xMSx · 05-29-2009, 01:34 PM

Very cool. I find things like this very interesting, but i agree it is more about the intent than the content. Thanks for this share man.

Grieves · 05-29-2009, 01:46 PM

listening to the islands and looking through that provided me with some good reflection...Thank you jonas...

al-Mu'akhkhir · 05-29-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Jonas

ugh. fuckbot, I don't even know where to begin... What I'm going to say is not going to mean anything to you, so if you have nothing contributing to say, then GTFO of my thread.

Every page in this 'book' gives me miles of inspiration. it just makes me think in ways i normally wouldn't.

To me it is a remarkable study of abstract thinking, done strictly to an orderly schedule and a high degree of detail.

I could stare at one of the pages (especially the last chapter) for minutes/hours on end and it gives me so many ideas, so many awesome ideas, it just makes my brain happy and exercised

Like I said before, if you have nothing contributing to say, then say it in FFA...

oh ok i guess im not allowed to express my opinion in higher thoughts...

...

douche.