Jenny Holzer is an American neo-conceptual artist. Her work focuses on the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces and includes large-scale installations, advertising billboards, projections on buildings and other structures, and illuminated electronic displays. Holzer belongs to the feminist branch of a generation of artists that emerged around 1980

Holzer is known as a neo-conceptual artist. Most of her work is presented in public spaces and includes words and ideas, in the form of text art. Her large installations have included advertising billboards, projections on buildings and other architectural structures, and illuminated electronic displays. LED signs have become her most visible medium, although her diverse practice incorporates a wide array of media including street posters, painted signs, stone benches, paintings, photographs, sound, video, projections and the Internet. Text-based light projections have been central to Holzer’s practice since 1996. From 2010, her LED signs started becoming more sculptural.

Jenny Holzer only uses capital letters in her work and frequently words or phrases are italicized. She has stated before that this is because she wants to “show some sense of urgency and to speak a bit loudly”.

The subject of Holzer’s work relates to feminism and sexism. Her work discusses subjects such as sexual assault against women. She has said that she gravitates towards subjects such as this due to family dysfunction she has experienced and because she claims “we don’t need work on joy.”

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Image analysis

This image quoting ‘Protect me from what I want’ is a statement which can be interpreted in many ways. The first thing I thought of when I read this statement was consumerism as its in big bold writing on a billboard in a busy city. It can be meaning purchasing something and wanting someone to stop you from buying that and I view it as a form of self-sabotage from wanting someone to protect you from buying something. But knowing her work on feminism and sexual assault it can also mean the thought of wanting a relationship but doubting or regretting that thought as the person knows its wrong but wants it anyway. This being advertised on a large building in a busy city represents the fact that this may happen to so many people or that so many people can see this but nobody wants to help, as it is on a large billboard sign and being shown to a whole city.

These images are from Jenny Holzer’s “Lustmord” work. The word “Lustmord” is a German word translating to ‘sexual murder’ in English. This work shines a light on sexual assault. Her work is viewed in three different perspectives of the crime, the offender, the victim and an observer. I have chosen to analyse an image that has an objective perspective where it can be written by all three. It can be from the offenders of him being in a place where only women die from as he has sexually assaulted her. The victims perspective, where she is in a position where she is still alive but about to be assaulted, or the observers where he is observing the assault and stating that he is watching the assault happen. The pen ink written on the skin shows a permanent mark left on all three perspectives from being involved in this crime.

Barbara Kruger is an American artist and photographer, best known for her artwork that combines images and text to address issues of power, identity, gender, and consumerism. Her work critiques the ways the media and culture shape and influence our views of ourselves and the world. Barbara Kruger’s work is powerful, direct, and confrontational. Through her combination of imagery and text, she challenges viewers to think critically about the ways in which gender, power, and consumerism shape our identities. A main theme of Kruger’s work is consumerism and how advertising, media and pop culture affect our sense of self and desires. She criticises the way individuals are objectified, mainly in relation to gender and power dynamics. Gender, particularly the objectification of women, is a central theme in her work. She often critiques the way women are portrayed in pop culture and advertising through her own bold, challenging imagery and text.

Kruger’s work challenges the notion of the “ideal” body, particularly the representation of women in the media. Her art explores the intersection of power, sex, and control, often questioning the role of women within a consumer-driven society.

Barbara Krugers signature style involves black and white photographs with bold and red bordered text. The text overlays the image and makes direct statements. The words are normally short, impactful and designed to make the viewer reconsider how they see themselves and others in context of culture, politics and society and make you think about the societal norms and your personal identity. The use of stark, bold type and a visual language borrowed from commercial advertising brings attention to how these forces operate in shaping societal values.

Her art is still highly relevant today, as it continues to resonate with contemporary issues of gender inequality, consumer culture, and media influence. Kruger’s use of mass media visuals and her conceptual approach have influenced generations of artists and activists.

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Image Analysis

This image is one of Barbara Krugers most iconic works “Your body is a battleground” which was created for a feminist protest about abortion rights. The message speaks to the political outlook about the debates on reproductive rights, access to birth control and abortion in America. The text “Your body is a battleground” bordered red, is placed going across the woman’s face grabbing your attention like how a title on a newspaper or billboard would look like as that is how she styles her work to spread the message. The word “battleground” suggests that the woman’s body is a sense of conflict and suggests that the female body is something to be fought over.

The image is in black and white with a red border all around. In the centre of the imagine is a woman’s face which is split down the middle, one half in normal black and white while the other half looks like an x-ray, representing the idea of a division.

an ‘Ism’ is a a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement.

Realism

Realism is a type of approach that captures the world as it is, without, manipulation or exaggeration. It represents things in a straightforward and honest way that is focusing on the truth and realness. This style shows the ordinary and everyday aspects of life and presents images that reflect the reality of human experiences, environments, and emotions.

Characteristics of Realism in Photography:

focus on capturing subjects in their natural state, without changing anything. This means photographing people, objects or environments as they appear in real life.

subjects from daily life: street photography, everyday work, highlighting moments and details that might go unnoticed.

Social and political commentary. Documenting and photographing real life, draws attention to societal issues, inequalities, or struggles that people face.

realism avoids setting up, retouching and editing, or any other methods that could romanticise the photo. It’s about showing life as it is.

Photographers Associated with Realism:

Henri Cartier-Bresson: Known for his “decisive moment,” Cartier-Bresson captured candid, unpoised moments that reflect real life and human nature, often with a focus on social context.

Conceptualism

Conceptualism is an approach that prioritises the idea or concept behind the photograph rather than the aesthetic qualities or technical aspects of the image itself. It’s about creating an image that communicates a certain message, thought or concept, often requiring the viewer to interpret a deeper meaning behind the visual of the image. This approach challenges the traditional idea that a photograph is simply a representation of reality, instead focusing on the intellectual or symbolic aspect of the image.

Characteristics of Conceptualism in Photography:

The idea or message is more important than the visual beauty or technical quality of the photo. The photographer may create images that challenge conventional beauty or have minimal editing within the image to convey the message.

Uses symbolism to convey complex ideas, abstract thoughts, or social commentary. These symbols are meant to provoke thought and interpretation beyond the image.

Many conceptual photographs are staged. The photographer often arranges the scene or props to communicate the message, and the final photograph is more of a planned idea than a real, non-setup image.

Often explores personal or intellectual themes, including identity, memory, language, or politics. It can reflect the artist’s inner world or address societal issues.

These photographs encourage viewers to engage and interpret the image themselves. They may have multiple meanings depending on the viewer’s perspective and context.

Examples of using these characteristics in themes would be; Identity, social & political issues, memory, time.

Photographers associated with conceptualism:

Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills: These are self-portraits where Sherman adopts various personas, examining the roles of women in cinema and the stereotypes associated with them. The photographs are not just of her but explore the concept of identity through the lens of media and cultural expectations.

Barbara Kruger’s Text-Based Photography: Kruger combines photography with bold, thought-provoking text to address issues like feminism, consumerism, and power. Her iconic style questions social norms and forces the viewer to engage with the conceptual layers behind the images.

Feminism

Feminism in photography is used to explore and challenge issues related to gender, women’s rights and the representation of women in society. Feminist photographers have used photography to question traditional narratives, challenge the objectification of women, and give visibility to female perspectives and experiences. Feminism in photography is also about exploring and deconstructing gender roles, power dynamics, and societal expectations.

Characteristics of Feminism in Photography:

The male gaze: The male gaze refers to the way women are often objectified and portrayed from a male perspective, making them passive subjects for male desire.

Feminist photographers often take control of their own images and bodies, using self-portraiture as a means of expressing their own experiences, identities, and emotions. This helps to stop traditional, often male-dominated, portrayals of women.

Investigates gender fluidity and identity. Photographers examine how societal norms influence the way we understand and perform gender, and often challenge binary conceptions of gender (e.g. male vs. female).

Critique how women have been traditionally confined to certain roles – e.g. motherhood, or beauty standards, and challenge these stereotypes.

Feminist photography has been a tool for social and political activism. Feminist photographers highlight gender-based inequalities, violence against women, and the intersectionality of race, class, and gender.

Challenge traditional beauty standards, promoting body positivity and acceptance of different women’s bodies, including those that don’t fit conventional standards of beauty.

Feminist Photographers:

Cindy Sherman: Known for her self-portraiture, Sherman uses photography to explore themes of identity, gender, and the roles women play in society. Her Untitled Film Stills series deconstructs the stereotypical roles of women in Hollywood films, questioning how these roles shape the way women are viewed.

Shadi Ghadirian: Her photographs, such as those in the Like Every Day and Qajar series, use visual metaphors and symbols to address gender roles, tradition, and modernity of Iranian culture.

Barbara Kruger: Known for combining text and image, her work critiques consumerism, media, and the objectification of women. Through her use of bold text and iconic images, she challenges societal norms and makes statements about power, gender, and identity.

My idea of union is a group of two or more people creating a type of group, team, organisation or relationship which work together or join each other to create a union.

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