Counter-Texts: Language in Contemporary Art

In Counter-Texts, Kim Dhillon provides a much-needed critical reassessment of written language in contemporary art. Considering the politics, aesthetics and ethics of language, Dhillon explores artworks that use inscribed language, with a particular focus on works that challenge dominant narratives or which reveal, in visual form, the varied systems of oppression contained within words. Featuring many artists from diverse backgrounds, ranging from artists such as Serena Lee, Abbas Akhavan and Joi T. Arcand to Glenn Ligon, Brian Jungen and Susan Hiller, Dhillon rewrites the understanding of text in contemporary visual art. Counter-Texts explores how and why visual artists use written language, and interrogates the power held in words.