"Heroes" Vincents Heroes.
Jenny Holzer
For this blog i am going to be writing about a female artist who i had never heard of before Vince's lecture. In the lecture he told us about 2 female conceptual artists, Adrian Piper & Jenny Holzer. Both, in different ways, projected messages across cities that questioned some forms of society. Often very simple typography pieces, the "canvas" they used was the streets and the messages were successful in standing apart from all the current advertising and branding that has took a firm grasp over our modern day cities.
Jenny Holzer, is who am going to be writing about for this entry. Her medium, whether it formed on a billboard, rooftop, t-shirt, plaque or as an LED sign, was always typography. Very simple but strong messages.
Born in the 1950's, Ohio, USA, Holzer originally starting getting creative by creating abstract paintings. However, during the 1980's she found herself submerged amongst other feminist artists. All were looking for new ways of visualising narrative/commentary pieces which coinsided with visual surroundings and modern era society.
She relies on public eyes landing upon her work and with her messages she uses landscape and architecture to reach her target audience. Her messages have often attacked ignorance and violence, the artillery being kindness, humour and courage for the publics inner morals.
Jenny Holzer made her name by creating large scale public displays which included architectural structures, buildings and billboard advertisements. The structure of her visuals are fairly simple, it is the combination of words and ideas.
Her diverse practice schemes allowed Holzer to use a huge array of mediums to orchestrate her messages. Mediums originally utilised street posters, however her LED signs became her signature platform. Other mediums included hand painted signs, bronze plaques, benches, stickers, t-shirts, footstools, photographs, video, sound, light projection, the Internet and obscenely condoms.
Her quotes were not always her own, she often used quotes from succesfull literacy authors and passages from de-classified war documents from the US Army about the on going conflict in Iraq. This reflects in some of her messaging which can often speak of violence, war and death. Her messages, however also voice feminsim and power.
Her main aim is to project messages that will enlighten and recognise certain issues that are supposed to remain shamefully hidden and in silence.
 |
| Light Projection |
"If people had access to the tools advertisers have, what would they say?"
I personally think that her method of minimalistic visuals worked to great effect to reach her audience. Some of her messages may be slightly feminine however i understand what she is portraying and i think it is the powerful emotions within the messages that really make them stand out.
I have never seen anything quite like this personally especially in my hometown of Birmingham, which is riddled with consumer messages and slogans. I think something like this would put a smile on my face if i saw it as it's great to see something that sticks out above the gridlocked advertising visuals that clutter our cities.
Something much more simple than the advertisements that has real attitude, purpose and is there for good morals as opposed to wanting our money.
6th March 2012
"Heroes" Vincents Heroes.
Jenny Holzer