Foreword:
ByIncorporatingtextandlanguageintoart, artistsnotonlychallengetraditionalnorms andperceptionsbutalsofosteradialoguethat transcendsboundaries.
Theinterplaybetweentextandimagein modernartisafascinatingevolution.René Magritte's1929painting"TheTreacheryof Images,"whichpresentsanimageofapipe withthestatement"Cecin'estpasunepipe" (Thisisnotapipe)isanintriguingexample. Atfirstglance,itseemscontradictory. However,Magritte'sincorporationoftext challengestheviewer'sperceptionandraises questionsaboutrepresentationandreality.
BarbaraKruger,anAmericanconceptual artist,isanotherseminalfigurewho leveragedthepotencyoflanguageinart.Her works,whichoftencombineblack-and-white photographswithdeclarativecaptions,serve ascritiquesofsociety,culture,andpower.
Oneofhermostfamousworks,"Yourbodyis abattleground,"becameaniconicpieceinthe feministmovement.Thesimplicityofthe text,coupledwiththeimagery,deliversa potentmessageaboutthesocietalchallenges facedbywomen.Kruger'spiecesnotonly mergethevisualandtextualelementsbutalso instigatecriticalthoughtaboutsocialissues.
ContemporaryartistJennyHolzerintroduced anentirelynewdimensiontotheconceptof textualart.Her"projections"involve large-scale,publicdisplaysofilluminated text.Thesemessages,sometimesunsettling andsometimescomforting,servetoboth illuminatethephysicalspacestheyoccupy andchallengetheculturalspacesofthe viewer'smind.Her"Truisms,"short declarativesentences,makepowerful statementsaboutsociety,politics,and personaltruths. Streetart,whichbecameprominentinthelate 20thcentury,oftenuseslanguageto communicatepoliticalorsocialmessages.
ArtistslikeBanksyandShepardFaireyhave incorporatedtextintotheirworktoemphasize thethemestheyaddress.Whetherit's Banksy'ssatiricalstencilsorFairey's"OBEY" campaign,languageplaysacrucialrolein deliveringthemessage,makingitresonate withtheaudienceinstantly.
Artandlanguagearebothprimarytoolsof humanexpression.Whentheycombine,they createaforcethatcanchangeperceptions, challengethestatusquo,andfosterdialogues. Inanever-evolvingworld,wherecultures merge,anddialoguesaremorecriticalthan ever,artthatincorporateslanguageservesas abridge,invitingalltoaconversationthat mightshapethefuture.
Thefollowingelevenartistscontinuethe genre-bendingtraditionofincorporating languageinart.
Eachartistapproachestheirworkinaunique mannerutilizingvariousmediatoachieve theiraims.Gallery44ispleasedtopresent
IreneClouthier,GenieGhim,Olivia
Guarnieri,ErinHall,BarryJones,PDKlein, MarilynMitchell,HanlinMu,KirstenRae
Simonsen,SarahStolarandEnneTesse.All oftheartistsresideindifferentareasofthe UnitedStatesfromHawaiitoNewYork.
Someartistsareemergingwhileothersare moreestablished.Eitherway,collectively, theypresentanintriguinginquiryintotextart today.
IreneClouthierpresentstwowallsculpture worksinthisexhibition.
Herfirstworkentitled“HappinessKey”isa sculpturalformofakeycreatedoutofPVC, knownforitsremarkabledurabilityand resilience,thispiecesymbolizestheenduring natureofhumanpursuitforhappiness.The key,oftenseenasatooltounlockmysteries andtreasures,holdswithinitsforma hollowed-outrenditionoftheword 'happiness.'
Theviewerisurgedtocontemplatethe profoundquestion:Whattrulyunlocksour happiness?Isitmaterial,emotional,or perhapsaculminationofmanyelements?
Thesecondworkisfromtheevocative “Opposites”series.Clouthiercontinuesher explorationofdichotomiesandtheintertwining ofcontrasts.Thisintriguingpieceseamlessly amalgamatesthewords'give'and'take'—two actionsthatdefinemuchofourinterpersonal relationshipsandourtransactionswiththeworld aroundus.Onceagaincraftedfromenduring PVC,thissculptureisatestamenttothedelicate balanceofgivingandtaking,suggestingthat thereexistsasymbioticrelationshipbetweenthe two.Inthesamevein,themergingofthese wordssignifiesthatintheactofgiving,weoften receive,andintaking,wemightbegivingapart ofourselvesinreturn.It'sacyclicaldanceof humanemotionsandactions,brilliantly encapsulatedinthisthought-provokingwork.
Shewrites,“Iuseplasticinmyworkasthe materialthatpromisestheephemeral paradise,thedisposablehappiness,plasticas thepassagetotheemptyanduncertainfuture, todisposableperfectionandartificiallife;to simulatestoriesasareflectionofmy memoriesasakid,toenactfantasies,asa statementaboutthebubblewrapsocietyIlive in,thedisposableculture,thelossof sensibilityandtheembraceofplasticsasthe coolmaterialofouremptiness. Myfatherhadaplasticfactorythatmade strawberriesbaskets,kitchenplasticbagsand clearvegetablebagsIgrewupgoingtothat factoryontheweekendsinCuliacan,Mexico.
Igrewupseeingandplayingwiththe drippingsofplasticandthemixofcolorsof themeltingresidues.”
ArtistGenieGhimwrites,“Drawingfrommy exposuretodifferentartformsandgenres,the dialoguecreatedwithvariousmediumshas evolvedintoanarrativeofvibrantcolors,vivid silhouettesandclearlinesthatdefinethe ambiguityofculturalsynthesis,embodyinga harmoniousco-existenceoftraditionand innovation.
Myartisticpracticeservesasaconduitfor information,allowingmetosharemy encounters,bothpersonalandcollective. By sharingthesestoriesthroughmyart,my intentionistosparkconversations,challenge preconceptions,andcelebratehuman connection.”
Ghimpresentsthreepaintingsinthisexhibition, eachdepictingwordsinvariousformations.
Thefirstwork,entitled,“MakeMoreArt,”is paintediniridescentpinkandgoldanddepicts thewords,MOCK,MAKEandMORE.Here,the artistexploresthenuancedjourneyofanartist, wheretheprocessofcreationisfraughtwith doubt(mock),theresolutewilltocreate(make), andtheinsatiabledesiretoconstantlyevolveand produce(more).Assheeloquentlyputsit,“the intentionalactsofmaking,narrating,andevoking arerequisitesintheprocessofcreatingvisual communication.”
Thispieceisahearteningnodtoeverycreator’s journey,celebratingthecomplexity,vulnerability, andunyieldingspiritofartisticendeavor.
Ghim’ssecondworkisaptlytitled“Critique,” delvesintothepsychologicallabyrinthofthe artist’smind.Spotlightingthephrase
“AnalysisParalysis,”thepaintingspeaksto theall-too-familiarstatemanyexperience whentrappedinavortexofoverthinking.This pieceresonateswithanyobserverwhohasfelt ensnaredbytheirownthoughts,stifledbythe weightoftheirownscrutiny.Throughits vividdepiction,theartistpromptsviewersto acknowledgethiscognitivewhirlwind, perhapsinvitingthemtofreethemselvesfrom itschains.
“LookIntoit,”featurestheenigmaticwords
“BackStory.”Thispiecebeckonsviewersto divebeneaththesurface,tonotjustsee,but trulyperceive.
Itservesasapoignantreminderthatthereis oftenmorethanmeetstheeye,alayered tapestryofhistory,context,andemotionthat lieswaitingforthosewillingtolookdeeper. Byhighlightingthewords"BackStory,"the artistimplorestheviewertoseektheprofound narrativeshiddenbehindthemostunassuming facades,urgingajourneyofdiscovery, understanding,andempathy.
Critique
36x28x3/4IN
AcrylicandTwineonCanvas
InOliviaGuarnieri'sevocativewallsculpture, viewersarepresentedwithastrikingpiece entitled"Aguywithfourblackspotsthinks aboutnothing,ahillthinksaboutaguywith fourblackspots,[astick]."Thismesmerizing artworkoffersanunconventionalfusionof mathematicsandart,whereinalgebraic symbolstransmuteintoathree-dimensional visuallexicon.
Constructedpredominantlyfromrudimentary materialslikechipboard,cardboard,wood,and cutpaper,Guarnieri'ssculptureemanatesan organicsimplicity.Yet,thissimplicityis misleading,astheintricaciesofherworkliein theseamlessincorporationoffamiliar materialstocraftabstractvisual“sentences.”
Theseconstructionsareintriguingly dichotomous,existingbothaslinguistic expressionsandvisualforms. Guarnierielaboratesonherdistinctive technique,emphasizingherintenttocraft visualnarrativesthatborrowfromthe foundationsofgrammarandtypography.
Yet,ratherthanspellingoutclearmessages, shemoldsthesesymbolsintonon-verbal entities.Hercreationsspeakinacryptic, almostminimalistdialect,adesignchoice aimedatenvelopingqualitiesofmystery, precision,andambiguity.
Byconsciouslyadoptingsucharestrained artisticlanguage,Guarnieriheightensthe sensationsofenigma,specificity,and unpredictability.Shebelievesthatby constrictinghermediumandpresentingthe viewerwithlimitedinformation,theemotional andcognitiveimpactofherworkisamplified.
Inessence,Guarnieri'sartworkinvites observersintoarealmwherethefamiliar becomesunfamiliar,whereeverydaymaterials converseinabstracttongues,andwhereart challengesviewerstofindmeaninginboththe evidentandtheconcealed.
A guy with four black spots thinks about nothing, a hill thinks about a guy with four black spots, [a stick]
18"x7"x1"
Chipboard,cardboard,wood,cutpaper,stick 2023
ErinHallunveilsatrioofpowerfulsilkscreen prints,eachpresentingpoignantfigurative silhouettesinspiredbythetumultuousevents surroundingtheJanuary6th,2021assaulton theUSCapitol.Theseartworksunderscorethe lastingimpactofmediarepresentationandthe powerofcollectiverhetoricduringpivotal historicalmoments.
Thefirst pieceprominentlyshowcasesthe words"WhoseHouse,"whilethethird resonateswiththedeclaration"OurHouse." Thesepotentphrasesechothehauntingchorus exchange"whosehouse?ourhouse!"—a rallyingcryferventlychantedbythe participantsduringtheincident.
Byimmortalizingthesewords,Hallcapturesthe fervorandsentimentofthecrowd,reminding viewersofthedeepdivisionsandimpassioned beliefsthatmarkedthatday. Theinterveningprintshedslightonotherslogans thatfueledthefervorofthemob.Withthe prominentdisplayofthephrase"stopthesteal," Hallvividlyencapsulatesthedrivingforce behindtherioters'actionsandthemisinformation thatamplifiedtheircollectiveangst. Throughherworks,ErinHallinvitesareflective journeyintotheheartofadefiningmomentin contemporaryhistory,usingthestarkcontrastsof silkscreentoemphasizethetensions,beliefs,and narrativesofthatfatefulday.
The Big Lie framed 11x15
BarryJones,avisionaryintherealmofvideoart, introducesatriadofevocativevideoworks"Remix,""NewsBreak,"and"SevenBlundersof theWorld."Theseartworksarerenderedwitha minimalistaesthetic,solelyusingtextinstark blackandwhite,emphasizingthepotencyofthe wordsandtheirinherentnarratives.
"Remix-HarjoxRichxGibson"marksthe inaugurationofaserieswhereJonesinnovatively interweaveslinesfromvariouspoets,craftingan entirelynovelpoeticexpression.Thisendeavor springsfromJones'dualreverencefortraditional poeticartformsandthecontemporarypracticeof samplinginhip-hop.Theresultingcreationisa beautifulamalgamation.
"Newsbreak-10RulesofConduct"embarks onaprofoundcommentaryonsocio-political narrativesandthepervasivepowerofmediain shapingthesetales.Thispiecetakesthe guidingprinciplescraftedforthepivotal NashvilleLunchCountersit-insof1960and subjectsthemtodigitalmanipulation. Employingabespokeapplicationtointroduce glitchesintothetext,Jonescreatesarapid onslaughtoffragmentedinformation.This bombardmentchallengesviewerstoreflecton thedualroleofmediaandtechnologyinthe digitalepoch,promptingadiscerning examinationoftheirinfluenceand responsibilities.
Lastly,"Texts:SevenBlundersoftheWorld" payshomagetothewisdomofMahatma Gandhi.Inthispiece,theesteemedleader's reflectionsareplayedbackatthecontemplative paceofreading,allowingviewerstoabsorb, process,andreflectontheprofoundinsights offered.
Throughthesevideoartworks,BarryJones navigatestheboundariesoftextual representation,merginghistory,poetry,and socio-politicaldiscourseinacaptivatingdigital medium.
Texts: Seven Blunders of the World singlechannelvideo–looped,mp4file editionof3 2013 BUY
PDKleindelvesdeepintotheexplorationofa singleword:"yes."inthesetwodistinctdigital renderingsofthisword.Eachworkevokesa uniqueemotionalresonancethroughtheir chosencolorpalettes.
Thefirstrendering"yes"inaspectrumofcool colors,elicitfeelingsofcalmness, introspection,andperhapsasenseof detachmentorreservation.Theother, contrastingly,isdepictedinacascadeofwarm hues,stirringsensationsofpassion, affirmation,andawholeheartedembraceofthe word'spositivity.
Theword"yes"isreiteratedmultipletimes, morphingthefamiliarintotheunfamiliar.
Thisrepetitionresultsinanoscillating abstraction,wherethewordseemstodance, pulse,andfade,creatingarhythmicvisualthat challengesviewerstocontemplateits significanceandtheemotionsitevokes.
Throughtheseworks,P.D.Kleininvitesviewers intoaworldwhereasinglewordcanbebotha declarationandameditation,provingthat simplicitycanoftenbethegatewaytodepthand complexity.
(11"x17"
Untitled (yes, yes, warm)
12.25"x16.25" (11"x17"unframed)
Digitalprint Editionof25
MarilynMitchell’sevocativepiece,"Question Authenticity,"blendsanarrayoftraditional mediumsincludingoilpaint,thread,andIndia ink.
Theworkpresentsitselfasreminiscentofa newspaperspread,offeringreadersaglimpse intothenotorious"BrilloBoxScandal."This scandalisrootedintheaudacioustaleofanart curatorfabricatingworksfalselyattributedto theiconicAndyWarhol.
Asone'sgazedriftstotheoppositeside,the worksurpriseswithreconstructedadspromoting servicessuchaseggselling,gendertransition procedures,andhairremoval.Thisjuxtaposition brilliantlyconveysMitchell'sunderlying message:
Inanerawherecontemporaryartmaynot directlyspringfromthehandsoftheproclaimed artist,andadvancementsinmedicaltechnology permitindividualstotranscendtheiroriginal physicality,theveryessenceofauthenticity standsontrial.
Mitchellurgesviewerstonavigateandcritically engagewiththeevolvingdefinitionsof authenticityinart,identity,andbeyond.
14"x32"
HanlinMu,duringtheperiodofglobal introspectionthatwasthepandemic,conceived aseriesofworksentitled,"TalkingtoMyself." Thiscollectionisaseriesofphotographic self-portraits,eachoneradiatingwithan emotionalresonancethatcapturestheartist's self-reflectionandinnerdialogue.
Everyportraitinthisensembleshowcasestwo identicalimagesoftheartist—apoignant representationofintrospectionandtheduality oftheself.Theseimagesaresurroundedby Mu'shandwrittenthoughts,resemblingahalo ofintrospection.
Elevatedwithvibranthuesreminiscentof classicpopart,thedigitalalterationsintroduce acontemporaryedge,contrastingthepersonal, rawemotionswithastylizedaesthetic.
Thisinterplayisavividreminderoftheblend ofthepersonalandthepublic,therealandthe virtual,especiallypertinentinaneradominated bydigitalinteractions. Thefirstpiecereads,“causemuchliketime, youcan’tgobacksodon’tregretforit,”an evocativemeditationontheinexorablemarch oftimeandthefutilityofregret.Thisis companionedbyasecondaryinscriptionurging theviewertostepoutoftheircomfortzone withthewords,“sometimesyouhavetodo thingsthatmakeyouuncomfortable.”
Thesubsequentportraitconveysanarrativeof loveandlosswiththeprofoundstatement,“I havealwaysbeentheonetosaythefirst goodbye.”
Itfurtherdelvesintothethemeofresilienceand self-awareness,asevidencedbythepoignant line,“Hadtoloveandloseamilliontimes.” Theconcludingpieceservesasacontemplative reflectiononhumilityandthepursuitofgrowth. Itgentlychideswiththewisdom,“theonly shameistopretendyouhavetheanswerwhich youdon’t.”Thisiscomplementedbythe groundingadvice,“Abreakthroughisnotthe onlythingyoushouldcareabout,”urging viewerstoappreciatethejourneyandnotjust thedestination.
Chin Up 36”x28”
