World Cultures, World Arts Series: Illegible (on purpose): Pseudo-writing in Modern Asian and Islamic Art
Thu Feb 26 2026
|
1:00PM
– 2:00PM
| Thu Feb 26 2026
Event Description:
In a multi-lingual world, how do we truly communicate with one another? And why do some languages and writing systems rise to prominence while others fade? In a multi-lingual society, how do we choose which language to speak or write in? These questions spur artists to experiment with writing that cannot be read, or writing that feels just beyond our ability to recognize it. It looks like a Chinese character, an Arabic word, a syllable from one of India’s many languages, or a passage in Roman cursive script, but when we try to read it—even if we know the language—the words don’t come together. In this talk we’ll explore why modern and contemporary artists turn to “pseudo-writing” and other kinds of text-like forms, focusing specifically on artists working in Asia and the Islamic world.
The World Cultures, World Arts Series bridges the gap between the business education of a Baruch student and the cultural and artistic world. In each session, an artist or art historian presents a detailed look at a piece of artwork, its context and its relevance for today. We will connect world cultures with the fine arts, to see if we can find an alternate way to become globally-accomplished students. The Baruch community is invited to attend this free online lecture. Learn more about the series at https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/globalstudentcertificate/world-cultures-world-arts-series/.
