Notes on Word Art / Language Art: (6 points on this type of art)
1. part of ongoing project to dematerializee the art object (related to #2)
2. disgust with art market / disdain for commodity... conceptual artists propose a professional committment that restores art to artists vs. "money vendors"
3. desire to "be in your head" (Harold Szeemen)
4. some argue that all works are essentially linguistic
5. expression of need to theorize about the meaning of art
6. ambition to communicate to a wider audience (bridge gap b/w viewer and work)
Lyrics to Missing Persons' Words (1982) Terry Bozzio & Warren Cuccurulo
Do you hear me
Do you care
Do you hear me
Do you care
My lips are moving and the sound's coming out
The words are audible but I have my doubts
That you realize what has been said
You look at me as if you're in a daze
It's like the feeling at the end of the page
When you realize you don't know what you just read
[refrain = ]
What are words for
When no one listens anymore
What are words for
When no one listens what are words for
When no one listens there's no use talking at all
I might as well go up and talk to a wall
'Cause all the words are having no effect at all
It's a funny thing am I all alone
Something has to happen to change the direction
What little filters through is giving you the wrong impression
It's a sorry state I say to myself
Let me get by over your dead body
Hope to see you soon
Doors three feet wide with no locks open
Walking always backwards in faces of strangers
Time could be my friend
But it's less than nowhere now
Pursue it any further and another thing you'll find
Not only are they deaf and dumb they could be going blind
No one notices I think I'll dye my hair blue
Media overload bombarding you with action
It's getting near impossible to cause distraction
Someone answer me before I pull out the plug