The power of words: an exhibition of language as artistry at Luxembourg & Dayan

Artwork featuring text paintings at wall
An exhibition of poignant 20th century artwork featuring text as image is now on show at London’s Luxembourg & Dayan gallery. Courtesy of Luxembourg & Dayan
(Image credit: Janne Tuunanen)

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’.

Hexagonal drawing on the board

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.

(Image credit: Courtesy of the Simon Lee Gallery)

An image with partial men's face

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.

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Salon 94, New York)

A frame with text on it

Carl Andre's Sun Feb 5 67 Mah Jong take no full page ad, 1967.

(Image credit: the artist. Courtesy of Vivian Horan Fine Art)

An image with various person images

Typography and media are also explored in the show with the later works. Pictured: Alighiero Boetti's Anno 1986, 1986.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Andrea Caratsch)

Newspapers with coloured stamps

Marine Hugonnier's Yom Kippur War 1973, 2011.

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist)

Black cut out image

Will Boone's Load, 2005.

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist)

Image of exhibition hall

The works are on show at the Savile Row gallery space until 5 September

(Image credit: press)

An exhibition hall with paintings

The pieces take us through a historical timeline of ‘painting converged into poetry and poetry converged into painting, and the myriad complexions in between'

(Image credit: press)

ADDRESS

Luxembourg & Dayan
2 Savile Row
London, W1S 3PA

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Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.