Alice White
Reverting to Type 2020 exhibition installation shot. Print features Mandarin, Polish, Greek, Welsh, Italian and Swahili translations.
Woodcut lay-out print featuring Mandarin, Polish, Greek, Welsh, Italian and French translations (2020)
Woodcut print (2020)
Reverting to Type 2020 exhibition installation shot. Print features Mandarin, Polish, Greek, Welsh, Italian and Swahili translations.
Do you speak my language?
Do you speak my language? (DYSML?) loudly celebrates the many languages spoken everyday across the UK. It was conceived as a protest print against a racist sign titled’ Happy Brexit Day’ that was put up in communal hallways on 31st January 2020. The inward-looking, disheartening and polarising sign demanded that all residents speak the ‘Queen’s English’ or leave.
Through DYSML? I have invited friends and colleagues to translate this phrase into their mother tongue or another language that they speak. I am turning these translations into prints, which will also contribute to a collaborative artwork that incorporates all participating languages.
Participants are invited to share the project with a friend who speaks a language different from their own to further amplify our collective voices.
So far languages include: Chinese, English, French, Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Swahili and Welsh.
If you would like to participate in the project, please contact me.
Many thanks to current contributors: Dela Anderson, Ania Bas, Sophia Berry, Philip Bull, Olivia Nanono, Xiaoyi Nie, Natascha Rimo and Angela White.
'Our true nationality is humanity.' (Moeed Ahmed adapted from H.G. Wells quote)
DYSML is currently featuring in New North Press' 'Reverting to Type 2020' online exhibition. You can see the other works here.