Jenny Holzer: Writing & Difficulty

"Truisms" (1977-79)

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One of Jenny Holzer's most well-known texts is her series of "Truisms" (1977-79):

"The “Truisms” were perhaps an overly ambitious attempt to make an outline of everything that I wanted to do. I’m not sure I knew that at the time I wrote them, but that’s what I’ve come to recognize. I wanted to have almost every subject represented, almost every possible point of view, and then I had to sort out what those sentences should appear on. That turned out to be the street posters. Subsequent series had different demands because they had to fit in any number of places. I had to find the right medium, be that stone or electronics. So I tried to sort this out as I went.

Read the full interview (Art21 on PBS).

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Art21 first featured artist Jenny Holzer in 2007
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Watch the original & uncut 13 minute film online! (via Hulu)

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Own Season 4 Today: DVD or iTunes
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Jenny Holzer is featured in the Art21 episode "Protest" along with fellow artists Alfredo Jaar, An-My Lê, and Nancy Spero. The Season 4 DVD features 4 episodes, 16 artists, and is available from PBS and Amazon.

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"Truisms" (1977-79)
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One of Jenny Holzer's most well-known texts is her series of "Truisms" (1977-79):

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Declassified Government Documents
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Jenny Holzer's and her studio scour declassified government documents to find source material for her latest LED light installations and silkscreened paintings:

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"Lustmord" (1993-1995)
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Jenny Holzer's series "Lustmord" (1993-1995) text was made in response to the atrocities of the Bosnian War, and took on the distinctly anti-technological forms of metal bands attached to bones and ink drawings on skin. On writing the text, Holzer remarks:

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"For Chicago" (2008)
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Curator Elizabeth Smith, who organized the touring exhibition "PROTECT PROTECT," describes the significance of the work "For Chicago" (2008) in Jenny Holzer's body of work:

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"PROTECT PROTECT" (2008-09)
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Watch more Jenny Holzer videos on ArtBabble!

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Jenny Holzer discusses her difficult relationship to writing during the installation of the exhibition "PROTECT PROTECT" at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Featured works include "Red Yellow Looming" (2004), "Lustmord" (2007), "Protect Protect deep purple" (2007), and "For Chicago" (2008), among others. The exhibition traveled to the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York in March, 2009.

Whether questioning consumerist impulses, describing torture, or lamenting death and disease, Jenny Holzer’s use of language provokes a response in the viewer. While her subversive work often blends in among advertisements in public space, its arresting content violates expectations. Holzer’s texts—such as the aphorisms “abuse of power comes as no surprise” and “protect me from what I want”—have appeared on posters and condoms, and as electronic LED signs and projections of xenon light. Holzer’s recent use of text ranges from silk-screened paintings of declassified government memoranda detailing prisoner abuse, to poetry and prose in a 65-foot wide wall of light in the lobby of 7 World Trade Center, New York.

VIDEO | Producer: Wesley Miller, Nick Ravich, & Kelly Shindler. Interview: Susan Sollins. Camera & Sound: George Monteleone & Alexander Stewart. Editor: Jenny Chiurco. Special Thanks: MCA Chicago & Karla Loring.

At first when watching this video, it felt strange to just here this deep voice, without cutting to a face, or the usual" artist talking " shots. Once explained that she prefers to be out of view and anonymous, I really enjoyed the strange silence and absence. I don't know if it's the same in the whole version, but that would be awesome. Just a voice with shots of the work.
Very nice.

"i have no idea if i'll ever write again." then you're twitter's fake!

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