Sloganeers, running through December 9 at the DC Arts Center, is part of DCAC’s Curatorial Initiative program, in which established curators nurture emerging ones, and in the process, create unique group exhibits. This month’s exhibit, curated by Liz Flyntz, examines the use of slogans in artwork. While common in advertising, slogans often serve a different purpose when appearing in an artist’s work.

Lou Laurita’s two displayed gouache on paper works, The Caveat and The Blind Spot (pictured above), mix skillfully painted orgiastic imagery with obtuse bubbled text that reads, “You are an American visionary” and “No one gives a shit about you,” respectively. Depending on one’s affinity for text versus imagery, it is either the text or the image that is difficult to comprehend at first glance. According to Laurita’s artist statement, his work references the various web site profiles that one creates to identify oneself, which are often asking for various things — “to dominate or be dominated, to maintain control or succumb … or maybe just a dinner out.” While the text in his work gives us an insight, it also forms a barrier between the real and the perceived, much like the web identities he references.

The Blind Spot by Lou Laurita courtesy of the DC Arts Center.

Liz Rywelski’s Text Messages, 2003–present illustrates the difficulty that conceptual artists often have when attempting to display their more intangible work in a gallery. While her piece is fascinating, the physical work leaves the viewer with many questions. During her speech at the opening last Friday, Rywelski explained that the project entailed a year’s worth of poetic text messaging to unsuspecting cell phones. Based in Philadelphia, she solicited strangers for their friends’ cell phone numbers, and then sent the same cryptic message to hundreds. Sending messages like “You look like Paris France every day,” the artist was given various identities by her new virtual pen pals, who often mistook her for coworkers, ex-lovers and the like. In essence, the work became less about the artist and more about the recipients. This is demonstrated in the gallery by the slew of conversations between artist and recipient that viewers can witness via cell phone screenshots.

For the duration of Sloganeers, Rywelski is encouraging viewers to send her text messages with anonymous cell phone numbers, so that she can continue her project throughout the month in D.C. If you would like to participate, please send Rywelski a text message at 215-680-6894, and include an anonymous phone number from your address book.

Much of the other work in Sloganeers is intriguing, but often difficult to read. The pieces which lend themselves to easier understanding are the least interesting, as in most of Larry Krone’s four pieces, as they are primarily focused on the text itself, with little other context. Some of Krone’s pieces are reminiscent of PostSecret postcards, such as the heavily glittered proclamation, I disagree with the life that I’m living, and the knitted chant, It’s all wrong. However, in his How Can You Be So Mean?, the viewer is pleasantly, yet grotesquely, surprised that human hair, wax paper and transparent tape are used to form the scripted letters, giving them a more personal and fragile level of meaning.

Sloganeers will be at the DC Arts Center through December 9. The gallery is located at 2438 18th Street, NW and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.