Text In Art
From Gilbert and Georges’ ink washes to interactive wall art by Tim Fishlock, text-based pieces have seen a rise in prominence within the last few years, and in celebration of this current trend, Extraordinary Objects have pulled together some of our favourite text-based pieces from a variety of our artists.
“I think the thing is there’s a work for every space, you always have to respond to a context, whether it be a physical context, or a political one, or a cultural one, whatever.”
In the Art World, pieces can be interpreted in a variety of ways when using just mark-making techniques. Conveying niche ideologies and opinions can be almost impossible to work out without direct viewer instruction. Through text, artworks can effectively convey the artist's direct words and thoughts surrounding their pieces.
Extraordinary Objects has curated an online exhibition celebrating the variety of artists' inner thoughts, from The Connor Brothers’ humour to Grayson Perry’s social critique, all through the medium of words. Text can allow the viewer to question not only themselves but the world and the artist's concept in new ways. This differs from solely evaluating the piece itself.
Grayson Perry: Map of Nowhere (Red)
”The starting point for this print was Thomas More's Utopia and the idea of there being no Heaven. People are very wedded to the idea of a neat ending: our rational brains would love us to tidy up the mess of the world and to have either Armageddon or Heaven at our end of existence. But life doesn't work like that - it's a continuum." - Grayson Perry
Grayson Perry ‘Map of Nowhere (Red)’
David Shrigley: I Am The Moth You Are The Flame
David Shrigley uses text to satirise everyday human interactions, filtering the mundane through a sense of childlike wonder and an offhand sense of humor.
David Shrigley ‘I Am The Moth You Are The Flame’
Tim Fishlock: The Future Leaks Out
Tim Fishlock’s work resembles wild and seemingly random words jumbled together to create a deeper narrative and critique. Inspired by the cut-up technique developed by the Dadaists and Surrealists and later popularised by William Burroughs, 'The Future Leaks Out' is comprised of 85 wooden blocks in four different lengths. These are displayed in a wooden cabinet containing 17 rows of five blocks each. Every block is hand painted in acrylic gouache and features a word on each face.
Tim Fishlock ‘The Future Leaks Out’
The Connor Brother: The Idiot
The Connor Brothers make a statement against oppression with their 'The Idiot' pieces in Vintage Paperback and print form. The striking red contrast alongside text art follow their themes of solid colour and deadpan snippets of text.
The Connor Brothers ‘The Idiot’
Alma Singer: Shut Up And Fuck Me
Alma Singer is the working name for Cambridge based artist Carla Nizzola. Carla’s playfully thought provoking work explores issues around value, art, identity, and female sexuality. Working under a pseudonym allows Carla to overcome the insecurities that come with exhibiting her work, and presents her with the opportunity to reveal aspects of herself that are often hidden from view.
Alma Singer ‘Shut Up And Fuck Me’
Jean-Michel Basquiat: Riddle Me This Batman
Often, Basquiat's pieces will read like comic books, with short onomatopoeic statements. The use of these statements allows the viewer to understand the figure’s composition and background meaning. The text here illustrates Basquiat's worlds as much as his drawings do.
Jean-Michel Basquiat ‘Riddle Me This Batman’
Gilbert and George: Kiss Me
With a dedicated and prolific body of art that spans over 50 years, Gilbert and George combine found swear words and slogans, referenced from the stark images of urban life and using their immediate environment of their home, London life, and themselves (the artists) as constant material.
Gilbert and George ‘Kiss Me’
The visual impact of typography can often be neglected, as it is prominent in both work and home environments. Yet it is through the use of aesthetics and design that text can become part of artwork in a highly visual culture. From Basquiat's graffiti-style wording to Tim Fishlock’s carefully placed adjectives, text-based pieces each convey their own unique narrative.
View more text-based pieces at Extraordinary Objects Gallery, located at 14 Green Street, Cambridge, CB2 3JU