Word Game

John Reynolds lets the words spill out in his sweep through through pop culture, philosophy, New Zealand art history and New Plymouth road names.

Artist John Reynolds continues to explore his fondness for words and lists in NOMADOLOGY [Loitering with Intent] on at the Govett Brewster Gallery in New Plymouth until 13 June. Trawled from sources as far afield as indexes of philosophy texts, Iggy Pop lyrics and the New Plymouth street directory, these lists are recast as symbols that hint toward what Umberto Eco calls the ‘poetics of the “etcetera”’ in his recent book The Infinity of Lists. Given generous space in the Govett Brewster, Reynolds’s works are presented beautifully, giving the viewer ample room to move around, sit back and watch, and ultimately put together their own narrative from the thousands of words displayed. urbis