Kay Rosen. NOW AND THEN

The Weserburg Museum für moderne Kunst is presenting the first institutional solo exhibition of Kay Rosen in Europe. Ever since the 1970s, the American artist (*1943 in Corpus Christi, Texas; lives in New York City and Gary, Indiana) has been using language as artistic material. She is internationally known above all for wall works which render individual words, sentences or series of letters, often in massive dimensions. Coming together here in an impressive manner are minimalist form, aesthetic impact and intelligent contents.

The use and the meaning of language are central themes in the creative output of Kay Rosen. Thus the artist  imparts perplexing twists to everyday concepts and words through their arrangement as well as their design in terms of typography and color. She often engages in subtle adaptations that lead to astounding results. Whether it is a matter of neologisms, redefinitions or onomatopoetic explorations, Kay Rosen repeatedly reveals surprising levels of verbal significance. Often coming into focus are issues involving a critique of society. Her oeuvre, meanwhile encompassing five decades, brings to light the manner in which language has a fundamental influence on our thoughts and actions.

The exhibition in Bremen brings together wall works, paintings, drawings, prints and videos. To be seen in addition to exemplary major works are also new, wall-filling language pictures that were especially developed for the spaces of the museum. The Weserburg is thereby making possible, in recognition of the artist’s eightieth birthday, a fresh encounter with and rediscovery of a complex artistic oeuvre which, in its incomparable combination of humorous lightness and analytical sharpness, is now receiving its first comprehensive presentation in Europe.