Jacques Barbaut's 'Le Cahier-Décharge' Explores Alphabet and Constraint

Jacques Barbaut's latest book, 'Le Cahier-Décharge' (C-D), is an unconventional abecedary that begins and ends with the letter Q. The work blends elements of a logbook, a zoology compendium, an orthotypographic manual, and the skeleton of a 40-year-old man. Barbaut, known for titles like 'Sans Titre' (ST) and 'Entrez chez les Fictifs' (EF), continues his obsession with letters, using them to construct a new alphabet. The book is described as erectile and topsy-turvy, mixing reason with chaos. Despite its constraints, the writing escapes itself, becoming broken and cavernous like a smoker's voice. The subject is both the man and the book, with the author exposing himself from nothingness and typographical errors. Barbaut is also a counter, but numbers in his work exude disorder or concealment. The text references peripheral writings of others, such as footnotes, forming a constellation akin to Paul Valéry's starry sky. The Great Bear becomes a fish, a barbel. The review was written by Sophie Coiffier.