Artwork Information

This is one of McCahon’s earliest ‘word’ paintings, in which words are presented as the main imagery. The words have a physical presence, appearing as three dimensional, solid forms in space, while still maintaining their linguistic function.

The fracturing of the picture surface and the spatial ambiguities of the image clearly indicates the artist’s familiarity with Cubist notions of constructing space. The presentation of the words also resembles the handiwork of signwriters, whose craft had interested McCahon since youth. (Beneath the Surface, 2000)