Seen and Unseen

Inspired by Invisible Citings, this exhibition of contemporary works drawn from the collection explores the relationship between word and image as well as the notion of invisibility. Representing a wide range of artistic approaches, these objects attest to the poignant, subversive, and sometimes humorous expressions generated by the dynamic dialogue between art and language.

Photographers Dawoud Bey and Wendy Ewald pair portraits with texts to reveal the inner and unseen selves of their subjects. Glenn Ligon provocatively pushes the limits of legibility to comment both on language and its ability to communicate and invisibility as it relates to issues of identity, race, and gender. Sandow Birk incorporates historical documents into satirical drawings that expose the gaps between national rhetoric and reality. Separating word and image, Sarah Charlesworth’s Herald Tribune includes appropriated newspaper front pages from which all text has been removed. Leaving only the masthead and images intact, the artist exposes the subtle ways in which ideas are conveyed and power structures are perpetuated by pictures.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.