Œuvre d'art public
Essays
Alternate title:
Inflammatory Essays
Artwork creator(s):
Holzer, Jenny
Text author(s):
Holzer, Jenny
Installation year:
1982 Text of the artwork:
(1982-3)
RUIN YOUR FUCKING SELF BEFORE
THEY DO. OTHERWISE THEY’LL
SCREW YOU BECAUSE YOU’RE A
NOBODY. THEY’LL KEEP YOU
ALIVE BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO
CRAWL AND SAY “THANK YOU”
FOR EVERY BONE THEY THROW.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL STAY DRUNK
OR SHOOT JUNK AND BE A CRAZY
FUCKER. IF THE RICH GUYS WANT
TO PLAY WITH YOU, MAKE THEM
GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY. SEND
THEM AWAY GAGGING OR
SOBBING IF THEY’RE
SOFTHEARTED. YOU’LL BE LEFT
ALONE IF YOU’RE FRIGHTENING,
AND DEAD YOU’RE FREE. YOU
CAN CHANGE THE RADIANT CHILD
IN YOU TO A REFLECTION OF THE
SHIT YOU WERE MEANT TO SERVE.
---
(1979-81, TORONTO 1982)
BECAUSE THERE IS NO GOD SOMEONE
MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MEN.
A CHARISMATIC LEADER IS IMPERATIVE.
HE CAN SUBORDINATE THE SMALL
WILLS TO THE GREAT ONE. HIS
STRENGTH AND HIS VISION REDEEM
MEN. HIS PERFECTION MAKES THEM
GRATEFUL. LIFE ITSELF IS NOT SACRED,
THERE IS NO DIGNITY IN THE FLESH.
UNDIRECTED MEN ARE CONTENT WITH
RANDOM, SQUALID, POINTLESS LIVES.
THE LEADER GIVES DIRECTION AND
PURPOSE. THE LEADER FORCES GREAT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MANDATES PEACE
AND REPELS OUTSIDE AGGRESSORS. HE
IS THE ARCHITECT OF DESTINY. HE
DEMANDS ABSOLUTE LOYALTY. HE
MERITS UNQUESTIONING DEVOTION.
HE ASKS THE SUPREME SACRIFICE. HE IS
THE ONLY HOPE.
---
[Segment de texte incomplet]
IT’S MO[…]AKES
YOU LOOK AT FINE[…]AND
[…]RE THE MO[…]G POWER OF THE
LET TAPERS TO AN EXQUISITE
STEM OF BONE. SADLY, THE […]OOT
[…]NEXT, ANCHORING[…]ERFUL
CREATURES TO THE DIRT[…]
WADING BIRDS AND THE[…]
PEOPLE HAVE FINE ANKL[…]
IT’S GOOD TO CRACK THE[…]
SUPPORTS SO THEY’LL[…]
DOWN IS AS LOVELY C[…]EN
YOU’LL CARE FOR THE[…]HEY
WILL BE FREE FROM[…]
AND STRUGGLE. YOU[…]
THE SHATTERED A[…]
AND MEANWHILE[…]
LIVE IN A STATE[…]
AND SUSPENDE[…]
---
THE MOST EXQUISITE PLEASURE IS
DOMINATION. NOTHING CAN
COMPARE WITH THE FEELING. THE
MENTAL SENSATIONS ARE EVEN
BETTER THAN THE PHYSICAL ONES.
KNOWING YOU HAVE POWER HAS
TO BE THE BIGGEST HIGH, THE
GREATEST COMFORT. IT IS
COMPLETE SECURITY, PROTECTION
FROM HURT. WHEN YOU DOMINATE
SOMEBODY YOU’RE DOING HIM A
FAVOR. HE PRAYS SOMEONE WILL
CONTROL HIM. YOU’RE HELPING
HIM WHILE HELPING YOURSELF.
EVEN WHEN YOU GET MEAN HE
LIKES IT. SOMETIMES HE’S ANGRY
AND FIGHTS BACK BUT YOU CAN
HANDLE IT. HE ALWAYS REMEMBERS
WHAT HE NEEDS. YOU ALWAYS GET
WHAT YOU WANT.
---
[Segment incomplete text]
[…]
W[…]TIME F[…]ALL
TH[…]S IS A PAR[…]
U[…]FORM OF V[…]
TH[…]ED AND ALIEN[…]
ON D[…]ER; THEY RECEI[…]
QUOTA OF STMULATION THIS[…]AY.
THEY AREN’T SYMPATHETIC, JUST BORED.
THEY ANALYZ[…]THE LATEST MASS MURDER,
THEY’RE MAUDLIN OVER STARVING BABIES,
THEY FIND IMAGES OF TERROR AND
REVOLUTION COMPELLING, THEY ADORE
PATHOS, THEY CONGRADULATE
THEMSELVES ON THEIR AWARENESS AND
THEIR STRONG STOMACHS, A LITTLE
REALITY THERAPY WOULD OUT THESE
DILETTANTES TO FLIGHT. ALL THE
“PITIFUL” AND “ENGAGING” PHENOMENA
ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO COME HOME.
---
REJOICE! OUR TIMES ARE INTOLERABLE.
TAKE COURAGE, FOR THE WORST IS A
HARBINGER OF THE BEST. ONLY DIRE
CIRCUMSTANCE CAN PRECIPITATE
THE OVERTHROW OF OPPRESSORS.
THE OLD AND CORRUPT MUST BE LAID
TO REST BEFORE THE JUST CAN
TRIUMPH. OPPOSITION IDENTIFIES AND
ISOLATES THE ENEMY. CONFLICT OF
INTEREST MUST BE SEEN FOR WHAT IT
IS. DO NOT SUPPORT PALLIATIVE
GESTURES; THEY CONFUSE THE PEOPLE
AND DELAY THE INEVITABLE
CONFRONTATION. DELAY IS NOT
TOLERATED FOR IT JEOPORDIZES THE
WELL-BEING OF THE MAJORITY.
CONTRADICTION WILL BE HEIGHTENED,
THE RECKONING WILL BE HASTENED BY
THE STAGING OF SEED DISTURBANCES.
THE APOCALYPSE WILL BLOSSOM.
---
SENTIMENTALITY DELAYS THE REMOVAL
THE POLITICALLY BACKWARD AND THE
ORGANICALLY UNSOUND. RIGOROUS
SELECTION IS MANDATORY IN SOCIAL AND
GENETIC ENGINEERING. INCORRECT
MERCIFUL IMPULSES POSTPONE THE
CLEANSING THAT PRECEDES REFORM. SHORT-
TERM NICETIES MUST YIELD TO LONG-RANGE
NECESSITY. MOALS WILL BE REVISED TO
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF TODAY.
MEANINGLESS PLATITUDES WILL BE PULLED
FROM TONGUES AND MINDS. WORDS LIKE
PURGE AND EUTHANASIA DESERVE NEW
CONNOTATIONS. THEY SHOULD BE
RECOGNIZED AS THE RATIONAL PUBLIC
POLICIES THEY ARE. THE GREATEST DANGER
IS NOT EXCESSIVE ZEAL BUT UNDUE
HESITATION. WE WILL LEARN TO IMITATE
NATURE. HER KILLS NOURISH STRONG LIFE.
SQUEAMISHNESS IS THE CRIME.
---
(1982)
DESTROY SUPERABUNDANCE. STARVE THE
FLESH, SHAVE THE HAIR, EXPOSE THE BONE,
CLARIFY THE MIND, DEFINE THE WILL,
RESTRAIN THE SENSES, LEAVE THE FAMILY,
FLEE THE CHURCH, KILL THE VERMIN,
VOMIT THE HEART, FORGET THE DEAD,
LIMIT TIME, FORGO AMUSEMENT, DENY
NATURE, REJECT ACQUAINTANCES,
DISCARD OBJECTS, FORGET TRUTHS,
DISSECT MYTH, STOP MOTION, BLOCK
IMPULSE, CHOCKE SOBS, SWALLOW CHATTER.
SCORN JOY, SCORN TOUCH, SCORN
TRAGEDY, SCORN LIBERTY, SCORN
CONSTANCY, SCORN HOPE, SCORN
EXALTATION, SCORN REPRODUCTION,
SCORN VARIETY, SCORN EMBELLISHMENT,
SCORN RELEASE, SCORN REST, SCORN
SWEETNESS, SCORN THE LIGHT. IT IS A
QUESTION OF FORM AND FUNCTION. IT IS
A MATTER OF REVULSION.
History:
• Inflammatory essay, street installation, Toronto, 1979-81
• Truisms and Inflammatory Essays, Poster project, A Space, Toronto, (mid-November 1982 and early July 1983)
Artist's biography:
Holzer, Jenny Document(s):
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