As far back as 30,000 years ago, our first written language was visual … pictures! According to researchers, written language evolved separately from the language of imagery (and forms and structures), with each becoming its own mode of communication. Indeed, many artists “say” in images what others — writers, musicians, performers — might say in words. Many artists, however, continue to incorporate words and language into their work.
As a writer and a visual artist, I’m proposing a themed exhibition which reunites our earliest attempts at communication, highlighting several regional artists who consistently work with words and language in their artmaking. The title of the show is tentatively Visual Voice, although I’m hoping that in-person discussions with artists will yield a more potent title.
Artists:
Carrie Scozzaro, Emma Noyes, Helen Parsons, Kay O’Rourke, Lance Sinnema, May Kytonen, Tracy Poindexter-Canton