Towards Alternative Languages
We rely on language to be able to understand society and communicate with each other.Language is considered one of the most important factors in mutual understanding. Needless tosay, art is not an exception to this. However, we might have to reconsider its validity now.Language is indeed very useful for making society convenient, but it includes limits to a certainextent for understanding this complicated world. The moment we define something with words, itbecomes divided from anything else. It seems that words cause conflicts with each other at thesame time. For example, if we define somewhere as "here", then anywhere but here will appearas "there". And the gap between here and there has been cut off from each other. Even if it wasinvisible, such an interface generates opposite concepts. Society is highly complicated anddifficult to recognize just by seeing sections, because everything deeply relates to each otherand it is impossible to exist as an isolated unit. As I said, language plays an important role in art. Since language is inseparable from the idea or the concept, art cannot escape from linguisticsand semantics. Therefore, art can appear as conceptualized and philosophized. However, isthis really true? We might weaken the potential of art by means of language. Art itself must haveproper logic and can be considered to be "Art for Art's Sake", like Clement Greenberg once said.I would like to reconsider the dynamics of art and focus on it as visual language. In reality, theworld is full of moments we cannot verbalize, and I want to perceive such moments with visuallanguage. And with audible language, too.
Naoshi Okura, 2008