Bruce Nauman's exploration of text in his artwork reflects a profound engagement with language's malleability and the nuanced interplay between meaning, form, and visual perception. Nauman, whose career spans over five decades, has continuously challenged and expanded the boundaries of contemporary art through his diverse practice, which encompasses sculpture, neon, video, and performance. His text works, in particular, stand out for their conceptual depth and their ability to provoke thought and emotional response through simple yet powerful visual manipulations.

Nauman's interest in the role of language in art and its capacity to communicate complex ideas is evident in his neon works and installations, where he employs text to explore themes of identity, communication, and the artist's role in society. His use of neon, a material traditionally associated with advertising and commercial signage, adds a layer of irony and critique to these works, questioning the commodification of art and the artist's voice within the cultural landscape.

One of his notable early text-based works is "The True Artist Helps the World by Revealing Mystic Truths" (1967), a spiral neon sign that juxtaposes a profound statement with the commercial aesthetic of neon, embodying the tension between high art and popular culture. This piece exemplifies Nauman's interest in the power of words and his skepticism towards the notion of the artist as a purveyor of universal truths, a theme that recurs throughout his oeuvre​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​​ (TypeRoom)​.

In the mid-1980s, Nauman began to incorporate more explicit text in his works, using phrases that express frustration and anger, such as "Please/Pay Attention/Please." This period marks a shift towards a more direct engagement with the viewer, where text becomes a tool for confrontation and communication, challenging the viewer to engage with the underlying emotions and critiques embedded in the work​ (The Art Story)​.

Nauman's innovative use of text extends beyond neon to include sound installations, where spoken words become raw material for his artistic exploration. In "Raw Materials" (2004), Nauman assembled voices reciting phrases from his past works, creating an immersive auditory landscape that underscores the performative aspect of language and its capacity to evoke memory and meaning​ (Wikipedia)​.

Through his text works, Bruce Nauman invites us to consider the complexities of communication and the elusive nature of meaning itself. His art does not offer easy answers but instead serves as a catalyst for reflection and dialogue, emphasizing the essential role of language in shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves​ (TypeRoom)​.