Jenny Holzer, Untitled, 1985

At the height of World War II transcendent folk troubadour Woody Guthrie emblazoned his trusty guitar with the heroic battle cry “This Machine Kills Fascists”, an explosive statement of the strength of the voice against violent oppression. This artful verbal salvo against authoritarianism, a most urgent update of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 19th century dichotomous dictum, comparing the efficacy of advocacy implements, composed communication more powerful still than steel when words sung load and not just penned. Channeling the timeless relevance of her predecessors in protest in her Truisms series, Jenny Holzer (American, b. 1950) automatizes this enduring proclamation, an extended magazine of explosive verse, rapidly reporting truth to treacherous power.

Holzer first started playing with the words of Truisms while an independent philosophy and literature student in the radical late 70s New York City of CBGBs and Bronx park jams. Holzer shrewdly subverted contemporary cliché language creating a compilation of her own provocative maxims, resting in the Venn Diagram overlap of news flash, social commentary, self-help affirmation, one-liner punchline and manifesto thesis, skewering the constructs of over consumption culture. The concept was initially realized consciously as commercial printed alphabetized, type set arrangements of Holzer’s concocted adages, publicly peppering the pages through the city as confrontational broadsheets for widespread absorption. Unlike many of her text based artistic contemporaries who juxtaposed imagery with words, Holzer embraced pure symbology seeing the phrases themselves as composition enough. The delivery system was the variable, the content, the constant, to expand the bandwidth of the message reception ranging from the intimacy of a cookie’s fortune revealed to a global ad campaign’s call to action. Arguably Truisms conceptionally culminated with the 1982 installation of an electronic billboard version of the slogans set in Time Square, the glowing signifier of mass media commerce, stocker ticker scrolling a disruptive digital display of ideas as a currency of influence to the apex of audience.

Untitled (from Truisms Series), 1985, is something of the play at home version of the stadium scale game show grandeur of the epic Time Square take over. A plastic housed LED console with yellow lit diodes, measuring 5 1/2 x 30 1/2 x 4 inches, transmitting 947 word segment of the original anthology of algorisms. Sequenced in a 20 odd minute loop with strategically static digestible pauses, reading individually as prescient alerts, collectively as a challenging poetic sermon, championing individuality and constructive change. By utilizing an established format for the mass presentation of information saturation to examine the medium of media, the poppy field is not the subjugator’s dreamy trap, but the following vivid anti-establishment stare behind the wizard’s curtain:

CHANGE IS VALUABLE BECAUSE IT LETS THE OPRESSED BE TYRANTS CHASING THE NEW CHASING THE NEW CHASING THE NEW IS DANGEROUS TO SOCIETY CHILDREN ARE THE CRUELEST OF ALL CHILDREN ARE THE HOPE OF THE FUTURE CLASS ACTION IS A NICE IDEA WITH NO SUBSTANCE CLASS STRUCTURE IS AS ARTIFICAL AS P-L-A-S-T-I-C CONFUSING YOURSELF IS A WAY TO STAY HONEST CRIME AGAINST PROPERTY IS RELATIVELY UNIMPORTANT DECADENCE CAN BE AN END IN ITSELF DECCENCY IS A RELATIVE THING DEPENDENCE-CAN-BE-A-MEAL-TICKET DESCRIPTION IS MORE VALUABLE THAN METAPHOR DEVIANTS ARE SACRIFICED TO INCREASE GROUP SOLIDARITY DISGUST IS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO MOST SITUATIONS DISORGANIZATION IS A KIND OF ANTHESIA DON’T PLACE TOO MUCH TRUST IN EXPERTS DON’T RUN PEOPLES LIVES FOR THEM DRAMA OFTEN OBSCURES THE REAL ISSUES DREAMING WHILE AWAKE IS A FRIGHTENING CONTRADICTION DYING AND COMING BACK GIVES CONSIDERABLE PERSPECTIVE DYING SHOULD BE AS EASY AS FALLING OFF A LOG EATING TOO MUCH IS CRIMINAL ELABORATION IS A FORM OF POLLUTION EMOTIONAL RESPONSES ARE AS VALUABLE AS INTELLECTUAL RESPONSES ENJOY YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU CAN’T CHANGE ANYTHING ANYWAY ENSURE THAT YOUR LIFE STAYS IN FLUX EVEN YOUR FAMILY CAN BETRAY YOU EVERY ACHIEVEMENT REQUIRES A SACRIFICE EVERYONE’S WORK IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT EVERYTHING THAT’S INTERESTING IS NEW EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE DESERVE SPECIAL CONCESSIONS EXPIRING FOR LOVE IS BEAUTIFUL BUT STUPID EXPRESSING ANGER IS NECCESARY EXTREME BEHAVIOR HAS ITS BASIS IN PATHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY EXTREME SELF-CONCIOUSNESS LEADS TO PERVERSION FAITHFULNESS IS A SOCIAL NOT BIOLOGICAL LAW FAKE OR REAL INDIFFERENCE IS A POWERFUL PERSONAL WEAPON FATHERS OFTEN USE TOO MUCH FORCE FEAR IS THE GREATEST INCAPACITATOR FREEDOM IS A LUXURY NOT A NECCISITY GO ALL OUT IN ROMANCE AND LET THE CHIPS WHENEVER GOOD DEEDS ARE EVENTUALLY REWARDED GOVERNMENT IS A BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE GRASS ROOTS AGITATION IS THE ONLY HOPE GUILT AND SELF-LACERATION ARE INDULGENCES HABITUAL CONTEMPT DOESN’T REFLECT A FINE SENSIBILITY HIDING YOUR MOTIVES IS DESPICABLE HOLDING BACK PROTECTS YOUR VITAL ENERGIES HUMANISM IS OBSOLETE HUMOR IS A RELEASE IDEALS ARE REPLACED BY CONVENTIONAL GOALS AT A CERTAIN AGE IF YOU ARE TRUSTING YOU ARE CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF IF YOU AREN’T POLITCAL YOUR PERSONAL LIFE SHOULD BE EXEMPLRY IF YOU CAN’T LEACE YOUR MARK GIVE UP IF YOU HAVE MANY DESIRES YOUR LIFE WILL BE INTERESTING IF YOU LIVE SIMPLY YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IF YOU LIVE SIMPLY YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE PARTS YOU’LL UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE IGNORING ENEMIES IS THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT ILLNESS IS A STATE OF MIND IMPOSING ORDER IS MAN’S VOCATION FOR CHAOS IS HELL IN SOME INSTANCES IT’S BETTER TO DIE THAN TO CONTINUE INHERITANCE MUST BE ABOLISHED IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO KEEP GOING NO MATTER WHAT IT IS HEROIC TO TRY TO STOP TIME…..IT IS MAN’S FATE TO OUTSMART HIMSELF IT’S A GIFT TO THE WORLD NOT TO HAVE BABIES  IT’s BETTER TO BE LONELY THAN TO BE WITH INFERIOR PEOPLE IT’S BETTER TO BE NAIVE THAN JaDeD IT’S BETTER TO STUDY THE LIVING FACT THAN TO ANALYZE HISTORY IT’S CRUCIAL TO HAVE AN ACTIVE FANTAST LIFE IT;S GOOD TO GIVE EXTRA MONEY TO CHARITY IT’S IMPORTANT TO STAY CLEAN ON ALL LEVELS IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO RECONCILE YOUR HEART AND HEAD IT’S JUST AN ACCIDENT YOUR PARENTS ARE YOUR PARENTS IT’S NOT GOOD TO HOLD TOO MANY ABSOLUTES IT’S NOT GOOD TO LIVE ON CREDIT IT’S VITAL TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE JUST BELIEVING SOMETHING VAN MAKE IT HAPPEN KILLING IS UNAVOIDABLE BUT IS NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF KNOWING YOURSELF HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND OTHERS KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE ADVANCED AT ALL COSTS LABOR IS A LIFE-DESTROYING ACTIVITY LACK  OF CHARISMA CAN BE FATAL LEARN THINGS FROM THE GROUND UP LEISURE TIME IS A GIGANTIC SMOKESCREEN LISTEN WHEN YOU BODY TALKS LOOKING BACK IS THE FIRST SIGN OF AGING AND DECAY LOVING ANIMALS IS A SUBSTITUTE ACTIVITY  low expectations are good protection MANUAL LABOR CAN BE REFRESHING AND WHOLESOME MEN ARE NOT MONOGAMOUS BY NATURE MODERATION KILLS THE SPIRIT MONEY CREATES TAST MONOMANIA IS A PREREQUISITE OF SUCCESS MORALS ARE FOR LITTLE PEOPLE MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FIT TO RULE THEMSELVES MOSTLY YOU SHOULD MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS MOTHERS SHOULDN’T MAKE TOO MANY SACRIFICES MUCH WAS DECIDED BEFORE YOU WERE BORN MURDER HAS ITS SEXUAL SIDE MYTHS MAKE REALITY MORE INTELLIGIBLE NOISE CAN BE HOSTILE NOTHING UPSETS THE BALANCE OF GOOD AND EVIL OCCASIONALLY PRINCIPLES ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN PEOPLE OFFER VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF OFTEN YOUR SHOULD ACT SEXLESS OLD FRIENDS ARE BETTER LEFT IN THE PAST OPACITY IS AN IRRESISTIBLE CHALLENGE PAIN CAN BE A POSITIVE THING PEOPLE ARE BORING UNLESS THEY ARE EXTREMISTS PEOPLE ARE NUTS IF THEY THINK THEY’RE IMPORTANT PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY DO UNLESS THEY’RE INSANE PEOPLE WHO DON’T WORK WITH THEIR HANDS ARE PARASITES PEOPLE WHO GO CRAZY ARE TOO SENSITIVE PEOPLE WON’T BEHAVE IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE PHYSICAL CULTURE IS SECOND-BEST PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IS ESCAPISM PLAYING IT SAFE CAN CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE IN THE LONG RUN POLITICS IS USED FOR PERSONAL GAIN POTENTIAL COUNTS FOR NOTHING UNTIL IT’S REALIZED PRIVATE PROPERTY CREATED CRIME PURSUING PLEASURE FOR THE SAKE OF PLEASURE WILL RUIN YOU PUSH YOURSELF TO THE LIMIT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE RAISE BOYS AND GIRLS THE SAME WAY RANDOM MATING IS GOOD FOR DEBUNKING SEX MYTHS RECHANNELING DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSES IS A SIGN OF MATURITY RECLUSES GET WEAK EVEN IF STRONG ORIGINALLY REDISTRIBUTING WEALTH IS IMPERATIVE RELATIVITY IS NO BOON TO MANKIND RELIGION CAUSES AS MANY PROBLEMS AS IT SOLVES REMEMBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE FREEDOM OF CHOICE REPETITION IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN

The limits of the technology of the day nostalgically dates the work somewhat to of a moment, still the substantive significance communicates directly to the now of screen time gluttony and tweeter feeds feeding fake news, ultimately sadly timeless. Indelibly so, Holzer’s revolutionary onslaught of axioms assault the viewers with weaponized words, theoretical truths that illicit a reflexive interpretation of what true is to you. 

Jenny Holzer
(American, b. 1950)
Untitled (from Truism series), 1985
electronic LED sign with yellow diodesedition
2/55 1/2 x 30 1/2 x 4 inches.

Provenance:
Cybernetic Data Products, Chatsworth, California
Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago
Sold: Museum of Contemporary Art Benefit Auction, October 12, 1985
Private Collection, Chicago
Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago
Private Collection

Estimate: $20,000.00 – $40,000.00