Lawrence Weiner: Where the Words Start

Recontemporary, on the occasion of its fifth year, presents the exhibition WHERE THE WORDS START by Lawrence Weiner in collaboration with Galleria Giorgio Persano.

With the Where the Words Start exhibition, Recontemporary aims to draw attention to Lawrence Weiner’s video work, which, as the title suggests, starts with a reflection on language. The artist, particularly known for his text-based works as the primary and fundamental means of communication with others, has expanded his conceptual research through video and imagery.

Weiner’s videos are not traditional cinematic or narrative works but rather extensions of his conceptual investigation. They capture everyday actions or mundane objects and emphasise their meaning through unconventional editing and visual presentation. A sequence of images, words, impressions, texts, and graphics that prompt the audience to ponder the essence of language beyond its visual appearance.

This is how Weiner has produced a body of video works that extend the concepts explored in conceptual art, highlighting how even within a communicative code, complex communication and meanings are concealed, designed to shift the focus onto the idea and concept rather than traditional visual aesthetics. Through his texts, images, and videos, Lawrence Weiner has left a lasting impact on contemporary art, encouraging a broader and more conceptual view of art itself.