“Language Is Not Transparent” is an artwork created by Mel Bochner in 1999 and is associated with the Conceptual Art movement.
The artwork features the repeated phrase “LANGUAGE IS NOT TRANSPARENT” written in bold, overlapping letters. The repetition and layering of the text, rendered in various colors, create a visually complex and dense surface. The phrase itself, “LANGUAGE IS NOT TRANSPARENT,” suggests a critique or exploration of the inherent limitations and ambiguities of language. The overlapping and intertwining of the letters illustrate the complexity and opacity of language, reinforcing the conceptual message that language can obscure as much as it can reveal.
