The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is reported to have appeared in The Christian Recorder of March 1862, a publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where it is presented as an "old adage" in this form: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me. But names will never harm me. 

Whether spoken, read or used in the creation of art… choosing words is a choice. Words can hurt, inform, confront, heal, inspire... the list is endless. As artists, we use words in so many ways to express ourselves… and some artists use the words themselves to make their art.  

From the 1960s onward, a group of artists increasingly focused on text in their art. From projections to canvases, sculptures to public murals, the versatility—and power—of the written word forces the viewer to reflect. Clever word play, political activism, subversion of advertising, and appropriation of form are just some common characteristics of powerful text art. 

JENNY HOLZER

BARBARA KRUGER

American conceptual artist Barbara Kruger’s work uses catchy phrases laid over images to challenge ideas of power, identity, and sexuality. Playing off sensational news headlines or advertising slogans, her work forces the viewer to explore their understanding of how these traditional media outlets skew our perceptions. “I work with pictures and words because they have the ability to determine who we are and who we aren’t.”

JOHN BALDESSARI

John Baldessari is one of the most influential contemporary artists by virtue of his own conceptual practice and as teacher at CalArts, where he founded the “post-studio” movement in 1971. Baldessari’s work has assumed various forms for more than three decades, including photography, painting, conceptual gestures, video, books, prints, objects and installations.

Choose your words carefully and listen carefully to others’ words… Oh! And laugh a lot.