Mel Bochner | words...: Quint Contemporary Art: 7547 Girard Avenue

“It is the opacity of our language and the way in which it predetermines our sight that intrigues me.” – Mel Bochner

Quint Contemporary Art (QCA) is very pleased to announce a solo exhibition of new thesaurus-inspired monoprints by Mel Bochner. This is the second solo exhibition for Mel Bochner at QCA. The exhibition will open with a public reception on Saturday, March 3rd from 6 to 8 PM.

The exhibition will feature 17 new monoprints including Mel Bochner’s largest monoprint to date, Blah Blah Blah, which measures 96 x 144 inches. Other pieces in the exhibition include Money, Head Honcho, Silent, Amazing, Obscene, Sputter, and more. These new works examine the landscape of language and delve deeply into the meaning of one single word or phrase.

Since the 1960’s, Bochner has been using words and their synonyms in his often-conceptual artworks. In an interview with James Meyer from Mel Bochner: Language 1966-2006, Bochner states that:

“In 2002 I came across a new edition of Roget’s Thesaurus. Not only did it include very up-to-date vernacular and slang, but outright obscenity as well. Because the thesaurus gets into the hands of fairly young children, that signaled a dramatic change in what is considered “ordinary” language. Something had happened to the boundaries of public discourse – politically, conceptually, and morally – and I wanted to explore that.”

Considered one of the most important artists of his generation, Bochner's work is included in The Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum, The Metropolitan Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Wexner Center for the Arts, Smithsonian American Art Museum, MOCA Grand Avenue, and The Tate Gallery. Currently on view at the National Gallery of Art is In the Tower: Mel Bochner, which presents 43 thesaurus-inspired paintings and drawings.