Written or spoken text became part of art practices particularly since the conceptualists. Language is used immediate and direct, as a mechanism, narrative, a mirror, statement and critique. Is text a material? Lawrence Weiner once noted, language is the medium itself; how it presented is of secondary consideration. Yet, a range of text-based works rely on aesthetics. And Roland Barthes remarked ‘It is language which speaks, not the author.’ Or do artists turn text into an object? Well, I am facing new questions before answers.
Are we talking about ‘quotational activity’(1) where the artist is equipped with authority to select and present language? Stefan Brueggemann’s work is here a good example.
I am also drawn to Carey Young’s use of language in her work. Repurposing corporate vocabulary and tools she layers it with humour and real experience to challenge the audience.
Language is part of our reality. Language fascilitates and is an instrument for legitimations (2). We are accustomed to perceive text around us all the time, whether consciously or not. Yet, precisely for that reason, it is tempting and exciting for me as artist to interfere, twist, project language to challenge the audience reader or listener.
Here, I act as my own authority. I borrow terms from Business and Management books. I filter phrases which reflect on my concerns. I de-contextualise them. I edit and re-print the terms on notebook paper. I reread the statements, rules and comments. The reader rereads the terms and generates new if at all related context. The audience reader accepts, dismisses, questions the relevance of what is on display – and hopefully smiles.
I have generated four notebooks on Declaratives, imperatives and ordinary comments.
Chapter [1] of my Artist-in-residence time at Westminster Reference Library finishes with a Performative collective reading (my first ever) Saturday 23 November, 2pm.
And here is list edit #6
We keep making it up.
Always ask for more.
Succeed by being nice.
It is inevitable.
You need a life boat.
Beware of people.
They do not care.
It’s a mind game.
Dilemmas are relevant.
Don’t get caught.
Return the coin.
(1) Nicolas de Oliveira “I’M SAYING NOTHING AND I’M SAYING IT….”, 2007, JRP/RINGIER www.stefanbruggemann.com
(2) Berger/Luckmann (1966) The Social Construction of Reality, Doubleday
