In the captivating exhibition, The Weight of Words, the intersection of poetry and sculpture is explored with a compelling piece consisting solely of a single noun printed in grey on a page. The word used is “Stilllife,” with each letter seamlessly connected by vertical lines, resembling a fence casting shadows. While this work alludes to still life painting and its symbolism of mortality, it goes beyond that to evoke the stillness of life on the brink of death. The subtle grey color, which actually derives from dust, adds another layer of meaning and turns the work into a sculpture.
Words have always had a place in art, often seen on public monuments and memorials. However, sculptures specifically focused on or composed of words are rare. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds introduces an exhibition that gathers works by 18 contemporary artists who explore the written and spoken word in intriguing, curious, and occasionally perplexing ways.
The exhibition begins with a simple question, “Who are you and whom do you love?” but gradually delves into more intense inquiries that force introspection, such as “How will you live now?” One of the sculptures by South Korean artist Joo Yeon Park features mirrored metal, deliberately challenging the viewer’s reading of the fragmented sentences etched into its reflective surfaces. It almost suggests that the words written may be as fleeting as writing on water. Another compelling piece by the Slavs and Tatars collective portrays a tongue torn in two directions, symbolizing linguistic contradictions. This shiny silver tongue encompasses multiple interpretations – a forked tongue, tongue twisters, foreign languages, and double meanings.
Glenn Ligon, an American artist, takes a line from Gertrude Stein and transforms it into a thought-provoking sculpture. Stein’s racially charged words, “Rose laughed when she was happy but she had not the wide, abandoned laughter that makes the warm broad glow of negro sunshine,” are displayed in neon tubing, with the last two words painted matt black. The light behind the black paint continues to radiate, effectively overshadowing the racism while embodying its own brilliance.
Words and letters have their own form and shape. Iranian artist Parviz Tanavoli sculpts a standing figure, made entirely of calligraphy, in vibrant green fiberglass. This anthropomorphic creation, with a quasi-abstract head and leaning posture ready to leap, blurs the line between animal and man. The form derives from the three letters that make up the Farsi word for nothing, “heech.” Tanavoli’s sculpture challenges the notion of nothingness, suggesting that it is a concept brimming with life.
These sculptures possess a rare quality – they are subtle, contemplative, and philosophical. While they have notable counterparts such as Robert Indiana’s “Love” and Mark Wallinger’s “Self (Times New Roman),” the artworks in this exhibition deviate from traditional sculpting techniques, employing diverse materials and unconventional methods. Colombian artist Doris Salcedo combines wooden pulpits and domestic furniture into hushed, concrete-filled blocks, symbolizing silenced voices. Emma Hart’s ceramic whorls, resembling archery targets or sound-wave emojis, exude a cheerful yet weightless energy.
Shanzhai Lyric’s installation, “Endless Garment (hedge),” features T-shirts bearing playful yet thought-provoking slogans that often appear mistranslated on Chinese garments. These shirts are draped over a wooden frame, conveying a message about globalization, capitalism, and commodity through repetition.
However, it is in the realm of poetry that these artists truly excel. Bhanu Kapil, an Indian poet, presents 12 questions inscribed on a staircase, reminiscent of her work in the volume “The Vertical Interrogation of Strangers.” These questions progress from innocuous inquiries to profound reflections on life, death, and silence.
The most profound piece belongs to Indian artist Shilpa Gupta, whose split-flap display board is suspended from the ceiling, mimicking the departure boards found in transportation hubs. The board’s spellings and pronunciations are slightly askew, yet it yearns to communicate. Its words revolve around sound, meaning, authority, fear, life, and death. The board’s fluttering motion grows increasingly audible and urgent, as if murmuring its own inner voice. This kinetic sculpture exudes a profound resonance.
In conclusion, The Weight of Words exhibition showcases the marriage of poetry and sculpture, exploring the power of words in unique and thought-provoking ways. The artists featured take creativity to new heights, reimagining traditional artistic forms and materials to create captivating sculptures that spark introspection and contemplation.
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