Jenny Holzer
Overview
Use What is Dominant, 2003
The rock crept in for a couple of reasons. One was my move to the country. I saw stone for the first time in years. I thought, “rocks are pretty nice”, and nature eased into the work. Another consideration was, as I said, my apocalyptic preoccupations. I thought I should put something on rock so that after Armageddon, someone could overturn the stone and read. Another reason was simply practical. I needed benches so people could sit and read my signs. Stone makes good inscribed benches.”
—Jenny HolzerWorks
Biography
Jenny Holzer (b. 1950) is an American neo-conceptual artist known for using text to challenge and engage viewers in public spaces. Working with LED signs, projections, billboards, and large-scale installations, she brings powerful ideas into daily environments. Emerging in the 1980s as part of a feminist generation of artists, Holzer was active with Colab and took part in the landmark Times Square Show. Her work has earned numerous honors, including the Leone d’Oro at the Venice Biennale, the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum, France’s Officier des Arts et des Lettres, the U.S. State Department's International Medal of Arts, and the Time 100 Award, alongside honorary doctorates from leading art institutions.