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Lawrence Weiner’s definitive statement: “last as long as it last” encapsulates most aspects of the spoken word. The artworks only last for the time it takes to read them, generating ultimately an exhibition that only lasts for the time it takes to listen. Time, to borrow Ian Wilson’s very first discussion from 1968, (where he established that his only artistic production would be his discussions) is the essence of an exhibition of the spoken word. Maurizio Nannucci’s definitive statement also encapsulates a deep understanding of the exhibition, affirming our belief that there is ‘more than meets the eye’. Reflecting on the everyday, the statements by Tomas Vanek; the ‘compilation of rants and nonsequiters that might be found just below the threshold of audibility in a western corporate environment’ by Douglas Coupland; or the modern days haikus by Nick Currie all offer a deep perspective into the possibilities of the words. And as a natural complement, both Mai-Thu Perret and Karl Holmqvist – who based their works on pre-existing novels, envisage how the time of the exhibition gives the rhythm for these pieces to evolve.