She uses a tone of anonymous authority that forces readers to stop, question the declarations and subsequently decide whether they concur or disagree. "I started the work as a parody, like the Great Ideas of the Western World in a nutshell," to make "big issues in culture intelligible as public art." She started with street posters in New York City from Manhattan to the slums and crackhouses on 44th and has since won the art world's Triple Crown: The Dala Art Foundation, Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the American Pavilion of Venice Biennale. She has countered such acclaim but still enjoys street posters as her favorite medium. LED signs, found objects, posters, benches, plaques and even the web have been her mediums. She continues to gain success in the art world and is praised by many art critics.
Merging the advertising reality of the world and the 'stuffy' art world she has gained popular success and her thoughts have been printed on t-shirts, pencils, and license plates. Sex, death, power and war continue to remain themes since they were brought out in the early years with TRUISMS. Although through the years the authoritarian voice has developed into more personal and despairing voice. She controls her audience whether it be on a museum on a street corner. Making them look and judge.
As Jenny Holzer's work progresses she is exploring death more, each saying reflecting her feelings. On her work if the reflect her Holzer responds, "I live them all, to write them I had to imagine them." She exposes herself while she exposes the underlying nature of reality. Such a concept is very admirable.
As opposed to most artists, Holzer creates a museum piece for the museum. She works around its dimensions and space. A very talented ideal. She keeps to gain success. Her last work is LUSTMORD in which she discusses Bosnian women and a rape-murder.
Jenny Holzer continues to focus her interests on war. She has been commissioned by Frank Ghery to do two installations for the new Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. As soon as I hear of those pieces I will be updating this site.
