
Tim Etchells Please Come Back 2008
If you have ever visited the internet before viewing this blog you are probably familiar with Stefan Bruggemann’s work, although not his name. However, in a time of little accountability on the internet, we would like to amend what we can and introduce you to the artist behind the wall captions. So, in the spirit of knowledge here are a few reviews and pieces on him so you will be able to pass on his name to your friends when they show you his pieces on their computers.
“As a backlash to the constant word scroll of new media and its online counterparts, we’re likely to see both painting and multimedia work move in a text-free direction. The last two decades have used text — whether scrolling like Holzer or scrawled like Emin or collaged like Ligon — as a primary conceit. And as much as we like the aforementioned artists, we’re looking forward to the possibility of a little radio silence. After all, you know what they say about pictures (worth a thousand…).”
—
Flavorwire’s 2010 and Beyond: Trends in Contemporary Art
Really? You are going to categorize the last 20 years as the time of text? This overgeneralization hurts my brain so much I can’t even think of where to begin. Text definitely has increased in popularity, but if you look back at the growth and increasing popularity of artists like Ryan McGinley and the auction prices of artists like Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Yue Menjin, I don’t feel that anything was overwhelmingly text to the point where we need “radio silence”. Maybe I’m biased. Maybe I just don’t like sweeping generalizations. Either way.

Botkyrka konsthall’s international artist’s book exhibition is open for contributions - books and texts in various forms - by artists all around the world. This is the second edition of the exhibition Labyrint opening on November 7th 2009 in Sweden.
The title of the exhibition, Writings and Observations, refers to the artistic practice of writing as a way of seeing, a way of altering the world.
This year’s edition will focus on artist’s books, artists’ publications, text art, and various aspects of writing in contemporary art. A research into writing as a way of thinking will be carried out. Does text art change the way we view contemporary literature and writing in media? How are ideas brought forth through text, and how can the way we read an older literary work or history per se, be changed through text? Labyrint will also present works with performative aspects such as film manuscripts of artists, and art in relation to text, music and sound.http://www.botkyrka.se/botkyrkakonsthall
http://www.labyrintpress.com