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John's Blog

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day....Teach him to use the internet and he won't bother you for weeks!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Truisms: Timidity Is Laughable

One of my favorite conceptual artists is Jenny Holzer. Her use of "moving words" which actually move usually proves quite thought provoking. She works in a variety of mediums, but you'll usually see her work as scrolling LED signs, or projected in a public place. I was lucky enough to see her show at the Guggenheim a few years ago. Trust me, this picture doesn't do it justice.

So it was certainly good news to see that the soon to open 7 World Trade Center lobby will contain a piece of Jenny Holzer designed piece of art. This one will have poetry from various artists scrolling across translucent panels 14 feet high and 65 feet long. But if you plan on taking the whole thing in, you better pack a lunch since it will take eight hours for it all to pass by.

This almost didn't happen, since Larry Silverstein had other ideas, but thanks to the tenacity of the architect David Childs they were able to include Holzer in the plans for the public space art. Silverstein didn't want any of the "downer" type messages that artists do, and actually rejected some of the works she selected. But "Jenny-lite" is better than none at all.
|| JM, 9:19 PM

3 Comments:

It amaxes me that New York, for all it's claims to be a cultural center for art, is currently experiencing a very conservative period in the artworld. I'm an artist in New York, and I find the mood so dismal these days.

Too often, public art here has fallen into the genre of what Gordon Matta-Clark referred to as "the turd in the plaza". The Holzer installation would be a brilliant injection of life into that category. Look at what Seattle has done with public art in their new library. Besides a brilliant building by Rem Koolhaus, it also incorporates a mesmerizing installation by Gary Hill.

I'll add you to my blogroll.
Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:15 AM  
Thanks for the link, John.
Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:54 AM  
Thanks for you site, John! Just saying hello and keep writing!
Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:16 PM  

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