Tate Online home Tate Britain Tate Modern Tate Liverpool Tate St Ives
HomeSupportersFeedbackTicketsShop Online
Technology from BT Tate Online together with BT
    Collection    General Collection    Artist A-Z   Artists W   Wearing   Work

View Work InformationView other images for this workCross refer by subjectView texts associated with this work  
Gillian Wearing  born 1963

Gillian Wearing from Signs that Say What You Want Them To Say and Not Signs that Say What Someone Else Wants You To Say, `I'm desperate' 1992-3
© Gillian Wearing, courtesy Maureen Paley/ Interim Art, London

from Signs that Say What You Want Them To Say and Not Signs that Say What Someone Else Wants You To Say (P78348-P78352; complete)

`I'm desperate'  1992-3

Photograph on paper
frame: 1325 x 925 x 45 mm support: 1190 x 790 mm
on paper, print

Purchased 2000

P78348
The series of photographs called Signs... brought Wearing international recognition when it was first exhibited in 1993. This selection of five images shows the range of responses which Wearing elicited from passers-by, whom she selected at random, and asked to write their thoughts on a piece of paper. Wearing challenges social stereotypes and assumptions, and often works in collaboration with members of the public as a means of 'interrupting the logic of photo-documentary and snapshot photography.' She has said 'A great deal of my work is about questioning handed-down truths.'
 (From the display caption September 2004)