Annonated Biblography----Jenny Holzer

Jenny Holzer

The Art History Archive.(2012). Jenny Holzer.[On-Line] Available:http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/contemporary/Jenny-Holzer.html

This reference provided the biography of Jenny Holzer. The basic informations are all mentioned in this reference. Such as she was born in 1950 in Ohio. Her study period is very long which go through the general art in Duke university, painting, printmaking and drawing at the Chicage Uni. BFA at Ohio uni in 1972 and the BFA at the Rhode Island School in 1975. It also provide what kind of artist Jenny Holzer is . Moreover it also provide some of her art works in this reference like Truisms, Living Series.

John BuckWLD.(2012). Jenny Holzer's Truisms: Word Art of The 80s - From New York's Streets To The Gallery.[On-Line] Available: http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=49774&start=0&show=25  and Collection Online. (2012). Jenny Holzer. [On-Line] Available:http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/show-full/piece/?search=holzer&page=1&f=quicksearch&cr=1 

Both of these two references are talking abou Holzer's first public work ----Truisms. It mentioned the information of this art work and provide a lot of  why she made this work and how to express it. Here is the image of the selection of the Truisms.

Untitled (Selections from Truisms, Inflammatory Essays, The Living Series, The Survival Series, Under a Rock, Laments, and Child Text), 1989. Extended helical tricolor L.E.D. electronic-display signboard, site-specific dimensions.
Of the 250+ truisms that appear to exist, I put my favorites at the top in a bold font. They're followed by all the others I could find. Don't expect Plato, Socrates, Will Rogers or Mark Twain. Bear in mind, Holzer was an artist - not a philosopher. Her truisms - whether you find yourself in accord, rolling your eyes or questioning their contradictory sentiments - are intended to merely inspire thought.

Art21 (2007). "Inflammatory Essays," detail (1979–82). [On-Line] Available: http://www.pbs.org/art21/images/jenny-holzer/inflammatory-essays-detail-1979%E2%80%9382

In this reference, it talked about the details of the infalmmatory Essays. it explain why Holzer use a lot of first person in her art work.Often, I’ll use the first person in my work. I will assume that voice. Or I will represent many people in the first person. There are lots of I’s and You’s in the ‘Inflammatory Essays’, but they’re not me. They’re many different voices on a host of unmentionable subjects. Said by Holzer.


Artconnected (2009). Jenny Holzer, Selections from the Living Series (1989). [On-Line] Available: http://artsconnected.org/resource/90593/jenny-holzer-selections-from-the-living-series-1989
In this resource, it has mentioned about the selection of the Living Series which is made by Holzer and provide some details of this selection.For the work Selections from the Living Series, she engraved a different message on each of the twenty-eight white granite benches. The provocative messages are often contradictory and do not necessarily reflect the artist's own opinion. Holzer's installation offers visitors a place to rest as they think about what they have read and the role that language plays in contemporary society. The benches are arranged in a square, allowing this part of the Garden to be used for performances or other events.