The meaning/s of you work, whether you are a photographer, illustrator, graphic designer or fine artist are not only affected by the images you create. Both text and context can strengthen the meanings of your work; making it clearer for audiences to understand what you work is about. Context is the circumstances or setting of an idea or statement that fully displays or clarifies its meaning/s. Text and context can not only strengthen the meanings of your work, but also change and create additional meanings to artwork.
Many different artists use text in their work. Sometimes the text is in the image, such as in Gillian Wearing’s art, whereas others place text with their images, like Duane Michals. Gillian Wearing’s best known work is her photography using signs. She gives people a blank piece of paper and a pen, tells them to write anything they want on it and then photographs them holding their sign. Without the signs, her photos will look like ordinary photos of people. However, the signs add a deeper meaning to her work because the signs display what people are thinking about, giving insight into their personal lives. Duane Michal’s however places text with his photography, rather than in them. He adds text to his images to show emotion, which can’t always be shown through the photos alone.
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| John Hilliard's "Cause of death" (1974) Available at: http://www.bl.uk/learning/images/Campaign_MAI/resources/large94296.html. ( Accessed on 11th January 2012) |
John Milliard’s work “Cause of death” (1974) consists of four of the same images. However, they have been cropped in different ways and are located in different places on the white space. He has placed one word next to each image explaining how the woman in the photo could have died. The meaning with each photograph is not only strengthened with each example, but also changed slightly.
Barbra Kruger also uses text to strengthen the meanings in her work, which is often about the good and evils of social life, and is very critical of issues such as sexism, as well as the circulation of power within cultures. . Kruger uses phrases consisting of words like “you”, “I”, “we” and “they”, such as “Your body is a battleground” and “I shop therefore I am”.
It doesn’t matter what type of artist/designer you are, or what your work is being created for, it is always important to think about text and context. Sometime text may distract away from an image and therefore shouldn’t be used, but it can also strengthen the meanings of your work, making it more successful. Experimentation is key for ensure you use text when it is needed. It is important to then think about what the text says and typography if you do decide to use text.
