Text as ImageText as Message

Text as Poetry

Glenn Hirsch

IText as image

the text isn't meant to be read, but is a design element

IIText as message

the text is meant to communicate an idea

IIIText as poetry

the text is meant to communicate multiple shades of meaning through irony, metaphor or mood

Text as imagethe text isn't meant to be read, but is a design element

if you don't understand Japanese, then this character is still beautiful for its gesture, rhythm, and play of positive and negative shape

Text as image: the beauty of variety in line as expressed in handwriting

Text as image: the letters aren't meant to be read, but create linear patterns

Text as image: the words in this piece can only be read sometimes, most of the time they communicate rhythms of sound, like overhearing voices in another room (student art by Kristine Moss)

Text as image: the script is repeatedly written until a woven wall of line is created in front of the face that hides (student art by Jeff Raymond)

Text as image: a pink cloud of letters, rhythm and mood (student art by Joan Herron)

Text as image: graffiti tags can't be read by most of us, but are a familiar rhythm of urban life

Text as image: graffiti tags can't be read by most of us, and here they seem to form the man's thoughts (student art by Roy Huerta)

Text as image: musical notes (student art by Gregg Cassin)

Text as image: marking time (student art by Sandra McHenry)

Text as subtext: the text is covered by semi-opaque white so it whispers behind the image (student art by Adrian Cotter)

Text as subtext: creating patterns underneath

Text as image: hieroglyphics appear in ruled lines, vertical or horizontal, a gridded pattern

Text as image: In my art, I appropriate Mayan glyphs for their appearance not their meaning (this glyph is on its side)

Text as image: the glyph in the previous slide has been painted large on the wall of this installation (collaborative art: Glenn Hirsch, Pamela Lanza, Nena St.Louis)

Text as image: I like the ruled lines that the glyphs make, the mystery they create is accented by the light which appears to fall on to them (art by Glenn Hirsch)

detail

art by Glenn Hirsch

art by Glenn Hirsch

detail

Text as image - or in this case, a code which has analogies to other codes: in this case, the code of an electrical diagram or the double-helixed code of DNA

Text as image - or in this case, a code which has analogies to other codes: the code of computers – HTMLThe Maya wrote their glyphs in an illiterate society. Only the priests could read them. The writing wasn't meant to be read, but was magic writing which, if written, would operate the universe and make sure the sun would come up and that the crops would receive rain.

Today, we have modern priests/technicians who run our society with the help of a special code, HTML, which isn't meant to be read, but is used to keep our world running smoothly.

Text as image: codes overlapping: Mayan writing, HTML and DNA

Text as image: codes overlapping: Mayan writing, HTML and DNA

IIText as message

the text is meant to communicate an idea

Text as MESSAGE - words to communicate important ideas are also part of our tradition, as in this religious painting in which the word of God appears

Text as message: Magritte's famous "this is not a pipe" in which the message is about the nature of pictures and picture making (art by Magritte)

Text as message: the language of advertising used to subvert the message of consumer culture (art by Jenny Holzer)

Text as message: the language of advertising used to subvert the message of consumer culture (art by Barbara Kruger)

Barbara Kruger

Text as message: the language of advertising used to subvert the message of galleries and the commodification of art (mural by Banksy)

Text as message: the language of advertising used to protest inequality in the arts (Guerrilla Girls)

Text as message: satire, sarcasm and irony in this case making fun of Homeland Security

Text as message: satire, sarcasm and irony in this case making fun of corporate thinking

Text as message: satire, sarcasm and irony in this case making fun of sex roles and stereotypes

Text as message: satire, sarcasm and irony in this case making fun of the culture of militarism (art by Marty Skocilich

Text as message: satire, sarcasm and irony in this case making fun of racism and bigotry (art by Travis Somerville)

Travis Somerville

Text as poetry the text is meant to communicate

multiple shades of meaning through irony, metaphor or mood

Text as POETRY - no clear message, just a suggested feeling of sarcasm and irony

Text as poetry - what makes poetry? Compare the slide with the following slide - in this one, the message is journalistic, clear, unambiguous ... but in the next ...

Text as poetry - this version uses language which opens up multiple meanings, creating a feeling and mood for the viewer to interpret

Text as poetry: “One World” is a journalistic word rather than a poetic word because it’s clear and descriptive

Text as poetry: in this version, “Balloon Beings” is more subtle, open-ended and suggestive

The text here is hard to see but when you do, it says “This is a mighty wave”

student art by Kim Schoen

A good way to use poetry is to find it, selecting it from a larger text to create unusual combinations (art by Glenn Hirsch)

Text as poetry: this drawing is done over a page of text, and the poetry found by revealing it from the layers beneath (art by Tom Phillips)