The power of the written word is being celebrated at London’s Luxembourg & Dayan gallery this summer, with an exhibition of poignant artworks that feature text as their focus.
In the installation, titled ‘Word by Word,’ curator Francesco Bonami walks us through the avant-garde work of 20th century artists who invited individuals to become the readers – rather than just viewers – of their pieces.
In the range of works on display, words and letters are used in different ways to portray their message. From conceptual artist John Baldessari’s photographic piece Word Chain, where the letters physically create a shape in the image, to the more political artwork captioned Sex / Lure by Barbara Kruger, and the poetic running prose of Carl Andre's Sun Feb 5 67 Mahjong take no full page ad. The language used in all of the pieces allows people to make their own interpretation of how the words create meaning in the ‘slippage between semiotics and aesthetics’.
Typography and media are also explored in the show with the later works. Magazine covers by Italian artist Alighiero Boetti, abstract newspapers collages by Marine Hugonnier and Joseph Beuys' chalk written Double Blackboard show the influential impact of words in art. The graphics and visual patterns in the words literally portray political and emotional messages.
The exhibition, which remains on show at Luxembourg & Dayan's Savile Row space until 5 September, takes the viewer through a historical timeline of ‘painting converged into poetry and poetry converged into painting, and the myriad complexions in between’.
Curated by Francesco Bonami, the installation shows the avant-garde work of artists who invited people to become readers, rather than just the viewers of their pieces. Pictured: John Baldessari's Word Chain, 1975.
The language in the work allows the viewer to make their own interpretation of the pieces – of how the words create meaning. Pictured: Barbara Kruger's Sex / Lure, 1979.
Carl Andre's Sun Feb 5 67 Mah Jong take no full page ad, 1967.
Typography and media are also explored in the show with the later works. Pictured: Alighiero Boetti's Anno 1986, 1986.
Marine Hugonnier's Yom Kippur War 1973, 2011.
Will Boone's Load, 2005.
The works are on show at the Savile Row gallery space until 5 September
The pieces take us through a historical timeline of ‘painting converged into poetry and poetry converged into painting, and the myriad complexions in between'
ADDRESS
Luxembourg & Dayan
2 Savile Row
London, W1S 3PA
-
Louise Giovanelli pulls back the curtain on spectacle and suspense at The Hepworth Wakefield'Louise Giovanelli: A Song of Ascents' is at The Hepworth Wakefield from 23 November 2024 - 27 April 2025
-
High jewellery is given a literary twist in Van Cleef & Arpels' new Treasure Island-inspired collectionVan Cleef & Arpels look to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story for a high jewellery collection in three parts
-
Design Miami 2024 is alive with possibility: here are 13 things to seeDesign Miami 2024 opens 4-8 December – let Wallpaper* guide you to the highlights, from dazzling installations to plump sofas and anthropomorphic sculptures
-
In memoriam: John Baldessari (1931-2020)The godfather of conceptual art died on 2 January at his home in Venice, Los Angeles, at the age of 88
-
The domestic world’s a stage for artist Derrick AdamsThe artist’s exhibition of domestic vignettes and portraits makes for intimate viewing at Luxembourg & Dayan’s New York townhouse gallery
-
What’s in a kiss? Artists explore the expression of love in a new show -
Homeward bound: in New York, artists’ musings on domestic dwellings take a dark turn -
Double act: Daniel Libeskind takes on modern masters of abstract sculpture -
Movie stills and Miró: John Baldessari goes to Hollywood for his latest London survey -
Top speed: John Baldessari creates his fastest ever artwork for BMW -
The beasts within: artists tap into their wild sides for a roaring show
