Artwork > Gum Works

In my work, putting words in your mouth, I see a relationship existing between gum and words. My project uses un-chewed Chiclets gum to represent individual words. Letraset words are applied to gum surfaces, thereby suggesting a relationship between the gum-word and its user. I feel that the gum-word refers to the event or activity that is about to take place. Gum and the subjectivity of words can both be sticky.

Various phrases that I applied on the Chiclets reflect expressions that occur with some regularity during conversations. With Plexiglas, I assembled 20 games. Players are invited to manipulate the games by tilting them from side to side. The gum-words act as game pieces by sliding vertically and horizontally. Each player is an integral part of this work by causing and controlling new gum-phrases. The title of each game is the initial phrase; the various gum-phrases derived from the initial phrase creates interesting permutations.

This piece exploits the fragility of words by showing how the meaning is dependent on the placement of the word within a phrase; that is, the meaning of a gum-word is dependent on its place in a gum-phrase. Word play that occurs during the use of each game reflects the misinterpretations of speech in everyday communications. This can also be seen as (others) putting words in your mouth.

games with moving words
putting words in your mouth
(1 of a series of 20)
Chiclets, plexi glass box, Letraset
12"x12"
2003