The Scottish-born Charles Sandison’s work consists of text generated by computer software. The individual words or numbers are programmed to react to each other and engage the viewer into a dialogue with the piece. Words either form figures or move in constellations. They can cross each other, connect or collide on the screen, or site-specifically on the walls. His work can be either a large-scale, full body experience such as Language as a mirror of the world (2010) that awarded him the prestigious 2010 Ars Fennica, or smaller wall-mounted pieces. In his previous work Sandison has dealt with themes such as the human body, evolution and viruses. Sandison belongs to the generation of artists such as Roni Horn, Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Olafur Eliasson, who have drawn on the experience of Post-Minimalist Sculpture and Conceptual art to create a critical but as well subtle visual language. Sandison’s work does not only present random words; the visual depiction also carries societal meanings and stories.

Charles Sandison (b. 1969, Scotland) lives and works in Tampere, Finland. At the moment he is featured in the Singapore Biennale 2011. In 2010 Sandison won the Ars Fennica, the biggest Finnish prize for the visual art. He has had solo exhibitions at renowned institutions such as Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid; Denver Art Museum, Colorado; Musée du quai Branly, Paris and Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, USA; as well as taken part in many group exhibitions.