Jenny Holzer started out by anonymously posting flyers around New York City in the late 1970s with short maxims and slogans printed alphabetically in bold, italic ink. By posting her work anonymously she hoped that viewers would focus more on the content rather than its author. Each slogan packed a socially pertinent and often political punch. Phrases like “Abuse of Power Comes As No Surprise” reflected the attitudes of a people who had become disenchanted with the government and the materialism of the times. This series of about 300 aphorisms came to be named Truisms by Holzer and was soon found not only pasted upon walls but on stickers and in underground publications as well.
Holzer’s process is considerably different than most artists because of its complex and political content presented in sometimes dazzling but simple ways. With the help of friends and assistants, the artist sifted through thousands of pages of declassified government documents regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After hand selecting the most compelling documents Holzer and her assistants silk-screened them on large canvases, sometimes with hand painted grounds. Holzer hoped to enlighten viewers and keep these documents in the public eye by immortalizing them in paintings.
Jenny Holzer has been described as a neo-feminist, a post minimalist, a word artist, a writer, an installation artist, and a contemporary painter. Her work uses words to strike a cerebral chord with the viewer, vibrating at every possible frequency and hitting at every angle. Ultimately, Holzer opens up a world of dialogue by providing an array of often contradicting and enticing perspectives with her politically charged materials. I personally revere Holzer’s work because it revolutionized my own way of approaching and thinking about art. Holzer’s work made me realize that words (poetry, thoughts, statements, etc) can be utilized in a way that augments experience and engages the viewer further.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/jun/04/jenny-holzer-interview
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/jenny-holzer
