Mel Bochner Blah, Blah, Blah, 2022 is a quintessential offering from the American conceptualist balancing and the artificial and organic nature of art and language.

The striking piece features one of the artist’s most studied terms which appear prominently throughout his oeuvre. Bochner repeats the nonsense word “BLAH” in four quadrants, aligned in horizontal stripes across the rectangular composition. The hand dyed and handmade paper sets a beautiful backdrop for the bold and bubbly typography. The straight edges of the stripes and the mechanical looking quality of the lettering juxtaposes with the painterly spontaneity present in this artwork. The letters are embossed from the reverse, adding height to the forms which stand out in slick and viscous oil paints.

The definition of this informal word changes in context; it can mean something which is boring or without meaning, or it can be used to substitute for actual words in contexts where they are felt to be too tedious or lengthy to give in full, as defined in the Oxford Dictionaries. By inserting this particular language into the context of fine art, Bochner challenges and examines our use of the word. His art begs the viewer to question: how does each color in this artwork inform our meaning? Alternatively, how can such a word inform our understanding of art?

Created in 2022, this monoprint in oil paint with collage, engraving and embossment on hand-dyed Twinrocker handmade paper is  hand-signed and dated by Mel Bochner (Pittsburgh, 1940 - ) in pencil in the lower right. Mel Bochner Blah, Blah, Blah, 2022 is a unique and original work.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

1. Bochner, Mel. Monoprints: Mel Bochner: Words, Words, Words…New York: Two Palms, 2012. General information on Mel Bochner’s unique monoprints is discussed on pages 63-65.

2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Mel Bochner Blah, Blah, Blah, 2022 is presented in a complementary moulding.

Why was Mel Bochner Blah Blah Blah subject matter created?

Mel Bochner's "Blah Blah Blah" is a series of artworks that explore the interplay between language, meaning, and perception. The repeated phrase "blah blah blah" suggests a sense of meaningless or empty communication, highlighting the ambiguity and subjectivity inherent in language.

Bochner's "Blah Blah Blah" and its use of repetition and visual presentation draws attention to the way words can lose their significance when repeated excessively, emphasizing the gap between language and meaning. The phrase becomes a kind of linguistic placeholder, inviting viewers to question the nature of communication and the reliability of language as a conveyer of meaning.

Through Bochner''s "Blah Blah Blah" series, Bochner prompts viewers to consider how language shapes our understanding of the world and to reflect on the limitations of verbal communication in conveying complex ideas or emotions. The artwork encourages viewers to engage with language in a more critical and self-aware manner, challenging them to look beyond the surface of words and explore the nuances of meaning and interpretation.