TOLEDO , OHIO --When text appears in a painting, print, photograph or drawing, is it only meant to be read? Is it just a visual element? Or is a more complex combination of reading and visual examination intended?

Word Play, a new exhibition opening at the Toledo Museum of Art, lets you decide. Drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection, the works assembled highlight artists who, over the past 50 years, have created evocative, challenging and delightful works of art incorporating text as a primary element.

The works include LED signs, paintings, prints, Xeroxed pages and books by such notable artists as Jenny Holzer, John Giorno, Jim Dine, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Rauschenberg, Glenn Ligon, and Lesley Dill.

Word Play will be on display Oct. 16 through Feb. 7, 2010, in Gallery 18 of the Museum. Admission to both the exhibition and to the Museum is free.

“We are all familiar with the way words can transport our imaginations to fanciful places, flesh out fictional characters, or even bring long-dead historical figures to life. Many visual artists seek to activate viewers’ imaginations in much the same way—not by painting a realistic scene, but by incorporating language in their work to invoke imagery in the viewer’s mind,” says Amy Gilman, the Museum’s assistant director of collections for exhibitions and associate curator of contemporary art.

She notes that sometimes the texts are shaped to create recognizable objects or scenes, while others tell a story with the fewest possible letters.

“Several artists deliberately play with the slippery nature of meaning and how our understanding of words can change depending on context and presentation. And some create whole new languages—immediately familiar looking, but completely indecipherable,” Gilman continues.

One of the most dramatic works in the exhibition is the Welcoming the Flowers prints by John Giorno, a leader of the New York beat generation. Gilman notes that the artist, by letting the language become the imagery, “somehow creates a rainbow field of wildflowers—and some unexpected weeds—out of colored ink and poetic language.”

Word Playis made possible with support from members of the Toledo Museum of Art and the Ohio Arts Council, which helps to fund programs with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, Noon-6 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays. The Museum is located at 2445 Monroe Street at Scottwood Avenue, just west of the downtown business district and one block off I-75 with exit designations posted. For general information, visitors can call 419-255-8000 or 800-644-6862, or visit www.toledomuseum.org.

EXHIBITION-RELATED PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

WORKSHOPS

Word Play with Glass
Saturday, Oct. 3
2 and 4 p.m., Glass Pavilion
Get ready for the Word Play exhibition before it opens. Customize and create your own crystal paperweights by pressing metal lettering into molten glass patties. Write your name, your favorite word, or create a gift for someone special. For reservations, call 419-254-5080.

Hammered Wire Bracelets with Letters
Friday, Oct. 23
6–9 p.m.
Bend and hammer wire into interesting shapes and letters that form a bracelet. For reservations, call 419-254-5080.

FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Hands-On Activity: Play on Words
Sunday, Nov. 8
2–4 p.m., Libbey Court
Play with words, letters and a variety of materials to make your own masterpiece.

Gallery Talk
Friday, Jan. 15, Meet in Libbey Court
7:30 p.m.
Join Amy Gilman, assistant director of collections for exhibitions and associate curator of contemporary art, as she walks through Word Play and discusses the different uses of words.

NOTE: For images or an interview, contact Teri Sharp, public relations manager, at tsharp@toledomuseum.orgor 419-255-8000 Ext. 7301. Events are subject to change. For the latest information, visit www.toledomuseum.org

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The mission of the Toledo Museum of Art is based upon the belief in the power of art to ignite the imagination, stimulate thought, and provide enjoyment. Through our collection and programs, we strive to integrate art into the lives of people.

The Toledo Museum of Art is a nonprofit arts institution funded through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and investments. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund programs at the Toledo Museum of Art through a sustainable grant program that encourages economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Admission to the Museum is free. The Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.– 6 p.m.; Sunday, Noon-6 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays. Friday evening hours are made possible by Fifth Third Bank.The Museum is located at 2445 Monroe Street at Scottwood Avenue, just west of the downtown business district and one block off I-75 with exit designations posted. For general information, visitors can call 419-255-8000 or 800-644-6862, or visit www.toledomuseum.org.