According to a Researcher
Artist:
Gary Sweeney
(American, born 1952)
Date: 2006
Place made:United States
Dimensions:
25 x 48 in. (63.5 x 121.9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Laura and Jack Richmond
Object number: 2007.14
Copyright: © Gary Sweeney
Label Text
"I've been fascinated with the workings and structure
of language for years. I'm an obsessive reader of
newspapers and magazines, and I cut out dozens of
articles of varied, interesting topics weekly."
Gary Sweeney
With a strong interest in both the form and meaning of language, Sweeney collects words and phrases as the source material for developing humorous conceptual art in several mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and site-specific installation. This mixed-media example was inspired by a newspaper column about the human capacity for discerning accurate meaning from misspelled words, when the first and last letters of each word are in tact. In reading the text — mostly words with scrambled interior letters — viewers will discover that they are participating in the very activity that the text describes. To ensure that the work would remain light and playful in tone, Sweeney included a 1950s-style comic-book figure of a father reading a newspaper.
(David Rubin, Label Text 2007)
of language for years. I'm an obsessive reader of
newspapers and magazines, and I cut out dozens of
articles of varied, interesting topics weekly."
Gary Sweeney
With a strong interest in both the form and meaning of language, Sweeney collects words and phrases as the source material for developing humorous conceptual art in several mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and site-specific installation. This mixed-media example was inspired by a newspaper column about the human capacity for discerning accurate meaning from misspelled words, when the first and last letters of each word are in tact. In reading the text — mostly words with scrambled interior letters — viewers will discover that they are participating in the very activity that the text describes. To ensure that the work would remain light and playful in tone, Sweeney included a 1950s-style comic-book figure of a father reading a newspaper.
(David Rubin, Label Text 2007)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
