From autobiographical narratives of an adventurous childhood exploring the forests of Delaware in Katie Pell’s work to storylike carvings chronicling lush scenes of animals personified as literary figures in Ricky Armendariz’s work, the use of text in the works of these eight artists range from subversive social commentary to rapturous meditation. Text, a recurring hallmark throughout art history, demands we read the visual composition of a painting or sculpture and interpret bits of language simultaneously. Text pulls the viewer in, slowing them down to consider how the text and its imagery inform the other. Furthermore, the intentional use of text in artwork can serve to disrupt our passive consumption of media, both digital and analog. In these exhibitions, each artist creates work in undeniably unique styles and processes, all anchored together by the written word, granting the viewer an additional clue with which to interpret the works.
The exhibition opens with an artist reception on Wednesday, March 25th from 6 – 8 PM. It will remain on view through May 9, 2020.