2017
The exhibition T E X T—Selected text-based works from the collection of Petur Arason and Ragna Robertsdottir, held at the National Gallery of Iceland from September 15, 2016, to May 14, 2017, featured text-based art by approximately 50 Icelandic and international artists.
The inclusion of Max Neuhaus in this exhibition highlights the aspect of his artistic practice that deals with conceptual instructions and the use of text as a primary form of documentation or prescription for an artwork.
Max Neuhaus and the Exhibition
The inclusion of Max Neuhaus in this context highlights a specific, often overlooked dimension of his work:
Text as Score/Concept: While Neuhaus is primarily known for sound installations, he frequently used text-based drawings and written instructions to conceptualize or document his auditory works.
Expanding the Medium: The exhibition explored how text transcends its everyday usage to become a "symbolist reality," functioning as sculpture or painting. Neuhaus’s contributions fit this framework by using language to evoke mental soundscapes or to define the parameters of an acoustic experience.