Text-based art – 23 examples

Benjamin Vautier’s gigantic Wall of Words at the Fondation du doute

Installations / 3 minutes of reading

The Wall of Words by French artist Benjamin Vautier (b. 1935) is one of the most visited attractions in Blois, France. Ben was commissioned to develop the wall, which consists of paintings/writings that he has been creating since the 1960s. The artworks have been applied to 313 enameled plaques that have then been placed on […]

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War is Over – John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s massive poster campaign

Installations / 11 minutes of reading

The War Is Over peace campaign has just marked its 50th years since it was conceived. In such a well-orchestrated move, the world woke up on the morning of December 15, 1969, to a worldwide propagation of a peace message. Deliberately intended to draw the crowds and reach as many people as possible, Yoko Ono

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Barbara Kruger – Your body is a battleground

Paintings / 5 minutes of reading

Untitled (Your Body is a Battleground) is an iconic 1989 silkscreen portrait made by artist, feminist and activist Barbara Kruger. Though the poster was meant for the pro-choice march on April 9th, 1989, in DC, the portrait is now used mainly to voice the artist’s own opinion about gender inequality. The piece is much more

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This was Ugo Rondinone’s iconic Hell, Yes!

Sculptures / 2 minutes of reading

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone is well-known for his drawings, installations and often colorful sculptures. Arguably, one of his most recognizable projects has to be Hell, Yes, 2001. Hell, Yes is a series of neon-lit sculptures full of rainbow hues and has appeared in different places. Ugo says that his creation celebrates love and life. It

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Dan Graham’s Homes for America – Unlocking the madness

Architecture, Photography / 2 minutes of reading

For the past half-century, Dan Graham, through art, has been on a mission to illustrate the symbiosis that exists between any architectural environment and those that interact with it. Graham has been involved in projects around the world, but his works that provoke the most interest are made from glass and mirrored pavilions. With their

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Barbara Kruger’s I shop therefore I am – What you should know

Paintings / 5 minutes of reading

I Shop Therefore I Am (1987) is the work of Barbara Kruger. It became an iconic artwork, being reproduced on items such as shopping bags and other consumer products such as t-shirts. Kruger has often derived images from the mass media and pasted the words over them, particularly in Futura Bold. She then uses advertising

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Why Jenny Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays matter

Street Art / 4 minutes of reading

The American artist and political activist, Jenny Holzer has racked up a reputation for herself for her Inflammatory Essays over the years. From 1977 to 1982, her text-based Inflammatory Essays were typically displayed for the public in the formula of simply worded statements printed in bold. As a result of her contribution to the artwork

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Sister Corita Kent’s Rules For Creatives – Why they matter today

Mixed media / 4 minutes of reading

Sister Corita Kent (1918-1986) was a Roman Catholic nun and one of the most unusual artists of her time. Kent lived in Los Angeles, where she befriended contemporaries such as Alfred Hitchcock, John Cage and Buckminster Fuller. Inspired by Andy Warhol, she started creating pop art herself, specializing in printmaking and social activism. Video: Art

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Emily Jacir’s creative way of preserving Palestinian history

Mixed media, Photography / 4 minutes of reading

Emily Jacir is a Palestinian artist and a filmmaker. She was born in Bethlehem in 1973 and spent most of her life in Saudi Arabia. She later attended high school in Italy and eventually attended Memphis College of Arts where she graduated with an art degree. One of her most renowned work is Ex Libris.

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Jenny Holzer’s eerie Kind of Blue installation

Installations, Light Installations / 5 minutes of reading

Inspirational quotes are usually found everywhere, and when we are feeling low, they help cheer us up, give us new strength, and increase our determination. Such was Jenny Holzer’s idea as they installed Kind of Blue at the Art Museum of Fort Worth. Jenny Holzer is known for her art relating to truisms. Her work

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Why do Adrian Piper’s Calling Cards still matter?

Mixed media / 5 minutes of reading

We all have felt uncomfortable under scrutinizing gazes at one point in our lives and have been unable to call out people on it too. For that purpose, you may follow the steps of Adrian Piper and get yourself a calling card. Calling Cards are pieces of parchment of size 2x 15.5 inches, one of

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Why did Glenn Ligon create his Double America neon work?

Sculptures / 2 minutes of reading

In “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens, the author tries to paint a picture of his time. Everything appears to have been happening simultaneously. Oftentimes when things are like this, it means that some people are living large while others are struggling in abject poverty. This is pretty much what is happening in

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Marina Abramović’s manifesto – Rules on life, silence & solitude

Mixed media / 4 minutes of reading

It is undisputed that Marina Abramović is one of the most renowned and impactful performance artists of our time. She dabbled in performance and feminist art at a time when the concept of shame and the nature of this type of art was considered radical. Her brand of performance art involved the use of her

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Jenny Holzer’s Lustmord – Everything you need to know

Photography, Tattoos / 3 minutes of reading

Conceptual artists are well known for favoring ideas that completely reject standard and accepted notions of art, and Jenny Holzer is no different. As one of the most recognizable conceptual artists of her time, Jenny Holzer’s work strives to explore the spirit of art, giving special prominence to the use of language. As one of

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Jenny Holzer’s Sign on a truck – Meddling in the US election?

Installations / 2 minutes of reading

Over the years, American artist Jenny Holzer has become known for her thought-provoking installations, many of which are typically text-based and depend heavily on the use of electronic technology. Jenny relies on different mediums from billboards and t-shirts to condoms and gallery work to communicate her perspective on art and society today. Her work is

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What font is used in Barbara Kruger’s art?

Paintings, Sculptures / 3 minutes of reading

Barbara Kruger’s art is easily one of the most recognizable on the planet. Characterized by the bold white Futura Oblique and sometimes caps locked sans serif, her artwork forces audiences to take a hard look at the institutions that she satirizes. Both direct and political, her art is designed to question the modern political and

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At 78 years old, Ed Ruscha has perfected his artistic skills

Paintings / 2 minutes of reading

At 78 years old, Ed Ruscha has perfected his artistic skills to the extent that he can express the noises of everyday life on a canvas. When he began his art in 1961, no one would have thought that the works that had words written over them would translate into such epic levels of fame.

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Alfredo Jaar – This is not America

Installations / 3 minutes of reading

The Times Square in New York is characterized by an epic display of contemporary consumerism; it is flooded with tourists from all regions of the world and filled with numerous electric billboards displaying services and a range of products for sale. If you are going to install an art exhibition, and a successful one at

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Revs & unusual graffiti: 200+ diary pages painted in NYC subway tunnels

Graffiti, Paintings / 3 minutes of reading

Those who grew up or lived in New York during the late 1980s and early 1990s must have seen the famous four letters that would be seen on walls all over the place; Revs. Everywhere you looked, on trash cans, telephone booths and poles, the distinct graffiti had dominated the city. Revs was at the

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Tracey Emin’s Neon Signs – The Obscenity & Heartache

Sculptures / 2 minutes of reading

Neon lights are commonly used to make attractive business signs and are mostly preferred for outdoor use, especially at night. The colorful array of neon light options makes it a creative marketing tool since lights illuminate an underlying text message or image. Tracey Emin’s neon works There is no limit to what medium an artist

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Barbara Kruger wrapped entire buses in her iconic prints

Installations / 6 minutes of reading

From the late 1990s to recent years, Pictures Generation conceptual artist/activist Barbara Kruger has wrapped several buses in her prints – in New York, Los Angeles and Cologne. Her work is usually known for its bold, eye-catching design and philosophical themes. About Barbara Kruger Barbara Kruger is a New Jersey-born conceptual artist known for her

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