About

Vanessa Van Obberghen’s work often incorporates themes of language and misunderstanding, particularly in how communication can both connect and divide people. Language, in her art, is not just a tool for expression but also a site of tension where meaning can be lost, transformed, or manipulated. She examines how miscommunication, translation, and cultural differences can create gaps in understanding, leading to both personal and political consequences.

Her work frequently highlights the limitations of language as a means of conveying identity and experience, emphasizing how linguistic barriers can reinforce power imbalances or perpetuate exclusion. Van Obberghen might use fragmented texts, multilingual elements, or distorted symbols to emphasize the ambiguity inherent in language, playing with the viewer’s expectations about meaning and interpretation.

In this way, her art prompts reflection on how misunderstanding shapes human interaction, especially in contexts of migration, diaspora, and cultural exchange. The fragility of communication in cross-cultural contexts becomes a metaphor for broader societal issues, such as xenophobia or systemic inequality. By engaging with the failures of language, Van Obberghen’s work speaks to the complexity of human connection and the ways in which misunderstanding can be both a barrier and a creative force.