Jenny Holzer / Blue Purple Tilt
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In collaboration with ARTIST ROOMS, Talbot Rice Gallery is delighted to present the first solo show, in Scotland, of the American artist Jenny Holzer.
One of the most celebrated artists of her generation Holzer’s work is both visually stunning and intellectually challenging. For the Talbot Rice exhibition her characteristically provocative text-based works will be shown, including paintings, posters and a signature LED display. The 2007 work, 'Blue Purple Tilt,' will transform the historic Georgian Gallery, while a distinctive selection of paintings based on declassified US Army documents and text poster works will be displayed in the White Gallery.
Following the success of 2009, 21 museums and galleries across the UK in 2010 will be showing 25 ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions and displays from the collection created by the curator and collector, Anthony d’Offay (an alumnus of Edinburgh University), and acquired by the nation in February 2008. 'ARTIST ROOMS on Tour with The Art Fund supported by The Scottish Government' has been devised to enable this collection held by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, to reach and inspire new audiences across the country, particularly young people.
Realised in collaboration with Tate, Artist Rooms, National Galleries of Scotland, and Scottish Arts Council.
Exhibition Guide
Published on the occasion of 'Jenny Holzer / Blue Purple Tilt' at Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh.
Texts are available to view below or download.
In collaboration with ARTIST ROOMS on tour, talbot rice gallery at the University of edinburgh is delighted to present the first solo show, in Scotland, of the american artist Jenny Holzer.
One of the most celebrated artists of her generation, Holzer’s work is both visually stunning and intellectually challenging. For the Talbot Rice exhibition her characteristically provocative text-based works are shown, including paintings, posters and a signature LED display. The 2007 work, 'Blue Purple Tilt,' transforms the historic Georgian Gallery, while a distinctive selection of paintings based on declassified US Army documents and text poster works are displayed on the two floors of the White Gallery. A documentary film on the work of Jenny Holzer can be seen in the Gallery’s Education space on the upper floor.
Since 2004 Holzer has based her work on the words of others. The two groups of paintings on display in the White Gallery take declassified American military documents, released under the Freedom of Information Act, as source material to confront issues of censorship and the use of language in the theatre of war. The seductive formal quality of Holzer’s work draws the viewer in and demands closer inspection, where the politically charged content of hope, love, conflict and despair find powerful resonance.
Fly posted directly onto the gallery walls are a selection of Holzer’s 'Truisms' (1977-79), arguably her best-known work. These short, powerful statements such as “A little knowledge can go a long way” and “Raise boys and girls the same way” were originally distributed around New York on posters, T-shirts and ultimately on a LED display in Times Square.
Displayed in a similar way, is a selection of 'Inflammatory Essays' which present a range of provocative statements inspired by the texts of political theorists and religious fanatics. Each essay has exactly 100 words in twenty lines, and Holzer uses this rigid format to explore a range of extreme ideas, setting zealous statements against the certainties of common opinion.
The 2007 work, 'Blue Purple Tilt,' can be seen altar- like amid the grandeur of the Georgian Gallery transforming it into a vivid place of reverence. This LED display combines four previous works, charting her development from the early 'Truisms' and 'Survival' series through to the anonymous declarations of the 'Inflamatory Essays' and the personal musings of 'Lamentations.'
This exhibition is part of 'ARTIST ROOMS on Tour 2010' in which 21 museums and galleries across the UK will be showing 25 exhibitions from the collection created by an alumnus of Edinburgh University, the curator and collector, Anthony d’Offay. 'ARTIST ROOMS on Tour with The Art Fund supported by The Scottish Government' has been devised to enable this collection held by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, to reach and inspire new audiences across the country, particularly young people. Additional works have been kindly lent by Sprüth Magers Berlin and London.
To find out more information about ARTIST ROOMS on Tour please visit www.artfund. org/artistrooms and to see the ARTIST ROOMS collection visit www.tate.org.uk/artistrooms and www.nationalgalleries.org/artistrooms.