In Conversation: Handshake Test and Every 7 Letter Word in the English Language

Jessica Hoffman, Every 7 Letter Word
in the English Language, 2010, Typewriter,
Typewritten text on Mohawk superfine paper,
Typewriter- 14" x 17", Paper roll 2" wide, length
undetermined, courtesy of the artist

Jessica Hoffman, Handshake Test,
2010, Typewritten text on Mohawk
Superfine paper, Shelf 5' x 8', Folios
4" x 5", courtesy of the artist

In honor of the current Members' Juried Show, Duets, I've decided to try something a little different. Instead of going "In Depth," I'll be rambling on about two pieces "in conversation" with each other. Duets invited artists to pair two pieces of their work that would illuminate, complicate, and/or complement each other. The two pieces I'll be writing about today are Jessica Hoffman's Hand Shake Test and Every 7 Letter Word in the English Language. In Hand Shake Test, Hoffman reports the results of a recurring experiment. The artist approached various people on various days at various times and attempted to shake hands with them. She documents the results in a series of small, folded, pieces of paper--booklets, almost--that record the number of people who accepted the handshake, the number who declined, and one or two sentences that summarize her experience that day. The results are a surprisingly poignant portrait of human nature. Every 7 Letter Word in the English Language's title is rather self-explanatory. The artist has, with the help of the typewriter that acts as an anchoring element to the piece, typed every seven letter word in the English language. The result of this typographical odyssey is a long, winding, piece of paper that would swim with words if they weren't so precisely aligned with each other. Instead, the words form an almost impenetrable, though thin, wall that quickly overwhelms the viewer. When paired together, these two pieces provide a fascinating commentary on the norms of human interaction, its rituals, and its nuances.

Much like the seemingly impenetrable block of text in Every 7 Letter Word, the handshakes of Test were, at first, strangely threatening to the men and women Hoffman approached. Hoffman records anecdotes of mistrust and misunderstanding as well as an overwhelming number of "declines" in her handshake journals. One woman didn't even seem to understand, until her companion posited a theory, that all Hoffman wanted was to shake hands.



One reason Hoffman seems to have encountered so much suspicion may be found in a typical viewer's reaction to Every 7 Letter Word. The string of text is overwhelming, unfamiliar, and a little threatening until you can find an entry point. The most obvious way to feel at ease with the piece is to focus on a single word. Of course, one must find a word one knows to really feel at ease. "Zygosis," for example, may not be very comforting to the average art lover. "Gallery," however, is easy to understand and helps us make sense of what's going on around us. Our familiarity with the latter word (or one like it) is what helps us relax a little bit and digest the work. In the big bad world of words, we like to see a familiar string of letters. Similarly, in the big bad world of people, we like to see a familiar face. While we might be able to recognize "zygosis" as a word--and even pronounce it--non-biologists probably won't be familiar enough with its meaning or intentions to welcome it into their speech. The same was true of Hoffman's offer of a handshake to random passers-by. They recognized her extended hand as a gesture of communication, but they didn't feel comfortable enough with her to stop and greet her in the way they would a good friend.

What is particularly interesting about Handshake Test, however, is the fact that, though they were in the minority, there were people who gladly shook Hoffman's hand. One even offered to be her handshake buddy. These divergent reactions changed a uniform action--Hoffman's offer of a handshake--into a nuanced and unpredictable drama of human interaction. The test, then, was not about Hoffman's success or failure to receive handshakes. Instead, it was a test of a person's mood, disposition, and overall personality. Seen in this light, the Handshake Test makes each viewer's reaction to Every 7 Letter Word all the more interesting. Is the block of text inherently threatening, or is *ahem-hem* the..uh...I'll go with a nice, anonymous "viewer" just feeling a little apprehensive about the wider world now that her internship will be over in two days? It's difficult, when ensconced in one's own paradigm, to make that particular judgement call.

Suddenly, after realizing that Every 7 Letter Word may be just as much of a test as Hoffman's handshakes, you may find yourself wondering, as I did, if the block of text is really as threatening as it seems. You may even find yourself wishing Hoffman would appear and offer to shake hands so you can double-check your reaction to all those winding words.

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"The Annual Members Juried Show: Duets" will be on display in the Carole Bieber & Marc Ham Gallery until August 14, 2011.