I’ve loved Jenny Holzer’s work ever since I discovered her “Truisms” — “Lack of charisma can be fatal,” “Confusing yourself is a way to stay honest,” “Children are the cruelest of all” (or, conversely, “Children are the hope of the future”), “Any surplus is immoral,” “Change is valuable when the oppressed become tyrants,” and so on — aphorisms designed to challenge (or reinforce) your assumptions, and spark some interesting and perhaps heated conversations.
And now she’s got a Twitter account, in which she filters her experience as a mom through some very funny riffs on her own work. Some choice tweets:
DIGNITY IS AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT BUT IT WOULD BE LESS ABSTRACT IF YOU WORE A CARDIGAN OVER THAT TOP
THE REVOLUTION WILL STILL BE HERE AFTER YOU’RE DONE STUDYING FOR YOUR GEOMETRY FINAL
A WELL-MEANING LIE IS A KIND OF TRUTH AND ON THAT NOTE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
DON’T GET CYNICAL AND DON’T LEAVE THE OVEN ON AND DON’T STAY UP LATE AND IF THERE’S AN EMERGENCY LAURIE AND LOU’S NUMBER IS ON THE FRIDGE
HISTORY TEXTBOOKS CAN TEACH YOU A LOT ABOUT THE SELECTIVE MEMORY OF IMPERIALISTS AND ALSO A LOT ABOUT WHAT’S GOING TO BE ON THE HISTORY TEST
PICKING AT SCABS CAN LEAD YOU TO TRUTH AND BY TRUTH I MEAN AN INFECTION
TRYING TO BE POPULAR IN HIGH SCHOOL IS LIKE TRYING TO BE MAYOR OF A CITY THAT WON’T EXIST IN FOUR YEARS
IT’S A COLD WORLD BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AND THAT IS WHY I TOLD YOU TO WEAR LAYERS
MISTLETOE ONLY HAS AS MUCH POWER AS YOU GIVE IT
I SAW AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF ARTISTS LOST TO AIDS, BUT NO, PLEASE GO ON ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT YOUR LIFE IS WITHOUT AN IPAD
SUFFERING FOR YOUR IDEALS IS A PRIVILEGE, AS IS USING THE FAMILY NETFLIX ACCOUNT
IGNORING THE ADVICE OF YOUR MOTHER IS A KIND OF CONFORMITY
THERE IS NOTHING MORE TERRIFYING TO HIGH SCHOOL BOYS THAN A WOMAN WHO WON’T APOLOGIZE
And a zinger against the many shirts displaying her own “truisms”:
MASS-PRODUCED IRONIC T-SHIRTS ARE A POOR ARGUMENT FOR A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT
Absolutely brilliant. Lots more here; can’t wait to read more.
(via Adam Savage; image via Creative Time)
