Christophe Muylaert

This 3D printed artwork explores the tension between language, meaning, and reality through an internal paradox. The billboard firmly states: "There is no left. There is no right."—a claim that seems to suggest that the concepts of ‘left’ and ‘right’ are not absolute or objective but depend on context, language use, and perspective. Yet, the work immediately undermines this assertion by placing the words "Left" and "Right" on the platform beneath the sign, presenting these concepts as fixed points of reference.

This tension closely aligns with Ludwig Wittgenstein’s ideas on language and meaning. In his Philosophical Investigations, he argues that the meaning of a word arises from its use within a language game. ‘Left’ and ‘right’ do not possess an intrinsic, universal essence; rather, they acquire meaning through how we apply them. The billboard appears to embrace this idea by denying the existence of ‘left’ and ‘right’ as absolute categories. Yet at the same time, the artwork reveals how difficult it is to think outside such concepts—the words on the platform still force us into a binary orientation.

This creates a paradox: if left and right do not exist, why are they named? In this way, the artwork exposes how language both enables and constrains our thinking.