Dana Lok ’15 Explores Language and Meaning in 'As Syllable from Sound’

Adjunct Assistant Professor Dana Lok ’15 recently opened her second solo exhibition at Miguel Abreu Gallery, As Syllable from Sound. The work continues Lok’s exploration of sensory experience, anatomy, and language through dynamic visual forms.

Lok's paintings focus on the architecture of human sound, using imagery of mouths, tongues, and neural pathways to explore the anatomy and cognitive processes that transform thought into speech. Lok invites viewers to consider how sound travels from thought to expression, with the paintings acting as a form of staged performance.

Lok’s work also examines the interior landscapes of the body, with the flexible tissue of the mouth and neural networks pulsing with energy. The paintings dissolve surface appearances, revealing internal spaces that echo the reverberation of sound.

The exhibition title is drawn from Emily Dickinson’s poem, which captures the relationship between thought and language:

“The Brain is just the weight of God –
For – Heft them – Pound for Pound –
And they will differ – if they do –
As Syllable from Sound –”

The quote reflects the tension between the finite brain and the infinite nature of thought, mirroring Lok’s exploration of language, sound, and the spaces between them. The paintings show how the body and mind collaborate to produce meaning, often leaving gaps where imagination and interpretation emerge.

Unlike her previous works focused on visuality, this exhibition foregrounds sound as a medium, creating a surreal interface where sound and vision collide. Lok pushes the boundaries of what painting can convey, exploring how sound’s intangible nature can be translated into visual form.

As Syllable from Sound is on view at the gallery’s 88 Eldridge location through December 21, 2024.