The Imaged Word

I visited the "Imaged Word" exhibit at the airport, where the works bridged the gap between literature and art. Scott McCarney's "Hanging Index #20: Last Lines, 2010" was my favorite piece within the exhibit. An open book has hundreds of pages flowing out from above. The pages are taken from outdated reference books that have been deaccessioned. The work reflects the prevalence of the internet, which has caused books to become obsolete. Yet, though the internet may provide a wealth of information at your fingertips, I don't believe the web can compare to holding an actual book within your hands. Paul Katz's display "The Prelude" was also an interesting piece of art. Various sculptures have been painted with lines of poetry from the poem, "The Prelude." The work is interesting in that the artist hopes to frustrate the audience's desire to read the poem's words by painting them in complex, nearly illegible patterns. The most interesting exhibit was that of Aaron Stephan's "Building Bridges." Stephan literally creates a bridge between literature and art by stacking books together to create an actual bridge. Books bridge various cultures and generations together, and connect us to ideas, facts, and experiences we would never have known otherwise. The work reflects the importance of literature within society, the importance of books that is often forgotten in light of the internet.

"Stacked Fabric" by Susie Brandt

"Hanging Index #20" by Scott McCarney

"The Prelude" by Paul Katz

-Tina