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Words & Images

There has been a noticeable trend in recent years for artists to use language in their art making. Whether as a means to explain the work, use words or letters as signs, or to blur the distinction between words & images, these artists are charting new territory. Inspired by media, advertising, comic books, poetry and political thought, these text-based works challenge the viewer and force us to consider a multitude of ideas.

The exhibition features work by 16 artists, including such major figures as Ed Ruscha, Jenny Holzer, Jim Dine and Robert Indiana. Indiana’s “LOVE” is an icon of American culture. Jonathan Santlofer’s painting refers to Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”, using mirror-image writing superimposed over her face, while Judy Gelles’ text humorously negotiates a feminist point of view. Diaristic notations are Stephanie Brody-Lederman’s hallmark and the younger artists like Dread Scott, Amy Sillman & Jef Scharf, and Paul Chan use language both to define their work and to frame it.