For the occasion of Printed Matter’s 2019 Spring Dinner Party, Weiner produced a 2-color screen print on a cloth napkin. Each napkin is printed in red and blue ink. In bold, diagonal type, the text reads “LEARN TO READ ART,” evoking the historical significance of Printed Matter’s place between independent publishing and contemporary art. The cloth napkin ground is a tactile version of his infamous works on white museum walls, while also symbolizing the context in which the print was produced.

Lawrence Weiner (b. 1942 in New York) is a key figure in the Conceptual art movement of the 1960s. Weiner uses language as a primary vehicle for his work. Weiner’s work often consists of text printed on a wall, which places the responsibility on the viewer to realize the artwork. In 1968, Weiner published Statements, an artist book which consisted of a series of written project descriptions.