Art Funded by you

Do Words Have Voices

Martin Boyce, 2011

Do Words Have Voices is an installation that explores the history and legacy of Modernist design and architecture. It comprises six elements which can be shown together or individually. Martin Boyce was born in Scotland and studied at Glasgow School of Art. His ongoing investigation into the story of Modernism and how its utopian ideals have shifted has been the subject of much critical attention. In 2011 he installed Do Words Have Voices as his entry for the Turner Prize and was named the winner. Among the elements of the installation is a piece of furniture and a set of ceiling panels inspired directly by the iconic designs of Jean Prouvé and Oscar Niemeyer. There is also a steel bin lined with a blue jumper, an item intended as a humorous take on a typical park bin and the Scottish climate. Each element of the installation is the result of detailed research and construction. Boyce has said of his work: ‘ItÂ’s all about landscape. IÂ’m interested in the psychological landscape, the physical landscape, the built environment, the things we pass through everyday and then occasionally catch a glimpse of and maybe see something that has a meaningful resonance. The work is to amplify those moments.Â’

More information

Title of artwork, date

Do Words Have Voices, 2011

Date supported

2016

Medium and material

Various media;

Dimensions

Various dimensions

Grant

60000

Total cost

150000

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

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