Nasim Nasr, The Home, 2017. Laser cut digital print on white cotton rag, 100 x 80cm. Courtesy: the artist and Town Hall Gallery, Hawthorn.

In a world over-saturated with information and misinformation, many artists are turning to more direct modes of communication to expose and reclaim the cultural and political power of words. Do I have to spell it out for you?  brings together a group of artists incorporating language and text into their work to speak directly to their audience. Through puns, song lyrics, spoken word and personal musings, the artists highlight the complexities of language to create community, define identity and tell stories. The combined works reveal the potency of language as a means of resistance, cultural artefact, joke, and tool of sovereignty.

Featured artists include: Benjamin Aitken, Chun Yin Rainbow Chan, Kate Just, Nasim Nasr, Claudia Nicholson, Kenny Pittock, Christian Thompson and Shevaun Wright.

The gallery is currently closed in line with COVID-19 restrictions. The exhibition can also be viewed online here.