In December of 1989, Jenny Holzer presented a groundbreaking exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim, New York, solidifying her place within the artistic milieu of the late 20th century. A retrospective of aphorisms and declarations programmed into a massive electronic sign ascended the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright stairway greeted by seventeen warm-toned Indian Red granite benches on the rotunda floor. Survival: Hide Under Water..., 1989, is one example from this series of bench works.
“In an age of excess, it is increasingly difficult for artists to challenge us, yet Holzer does so.”
—Diane WaldmanThe seminal 1989 exhibition presented Holzer’s work at an unprecedented scale, fully covering the iconic venue in her visual messaging. For the exhibition, the distinctly curved Survival: Hide Under Water... was arranged dramatically in a circular fashion amongst its sixteen counterparts. With the benches, Holzer created a space for visitors to pause and consider the electronic truisms. Rather than opting for more passive forms, however, Holzer created deliberate, multi-layered works loaded with enigmatic messages. Each bench is inscribed with a quote selected from the Survival series in a demonstration of Holzer’s facility with theatrical language and unique ability to create immersive art environments. These works proved her unparalleled ability to confront topics of cultural concern. So much so, the Guggenheim will present a reimagination of Holzer’s landmark 1989 installation in May of 2024.
“If you want to reach a general audience, it's not art issues that are going to compel them to stop on their way to lunch, it has to be life issues.”
—Jenny Holzer
Holzer stands as a central American artist to emerge during the transformative decades of the 1980s and 1990s, offering a unique exploration of the nature of viable public art. As a product of the age of television and advertising, Holzer probes the essence of originality as she utilizes language as a powerful visual element in her work. Holzer’s texts disrupt conventional narratives, challenge societal norms and comment on consumer society; their impact has reshaped the contemporary definition of art. Holzer’s texts, featured on familiar objects like billboards and benches, reflect intimate thoughts and worries with distinct candor and publicness. As noted by Michael Auping, Holzer “has successfully exploited the material frankness of Carl Andre, the seductively simple yet flashy surface of Donald Judd, and the eerie fluorescence of Dan Flavin," thereby transcending mere abstraction and infusing these elements with more personal and sincere content.