In the 1960s, Mel Bochner used a thesaurus to create verbal portraits of fellow artists—inking lists of words that described their art. Decades later, he opened the new edition of Roget’s and was surprised to encounter language once considered too obscene or informal for general reference. He began to create thesaurus paintings—listing synonyms with vastly different connotations, as Bochner described, a “downward spiral” from “the formal and proper to the vulgar and nasty.” Try to read in order, though, and vibrating color contrasts may send your attention roaming across the surface. This work holds potential to draw out diverse perspectives and spark debates. As you look, consider who is speaking: The artist? The thesaurus? A voice in your head?