Word Play

The artists in this section are serious about their craft, but playful in their approach to the printed word. These works, made by independent American printmakers from the 1970s to 2000s, bend the conventions of typography and graphic design in unexpected and whimsical ways. From visual poets who turn text into image to wordsmiths who find puns in everyday language, the artists remind us of the joy and curiosity that written language can inspire. Despite this playfulness, these expert craftspeople are highly skilled in the techniques of printmaking and book artistry. They embody the idea that you have to know the rules before you can break them.