DÜSSELDORF.- A major exhibition by American artist Jenny Holzer (b. 1950) is currently on view until August 6th, 2023, at
K21. At Holzer’s invitation, stars of the German graffiti scene—ECB, FOOL, IBES, SMASH 137, MOSES & TAPS, and L. BOE—have applied text in their signature styles over her striking installation of Truisms (1977–79) and Inflammatory Essays (1979–82) posters.
The new graffiti features excerpts from United Nations reports on war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine, the result of on-the-ground investigations and interviews with civilian victims and witnesses. These reports document accounts of rape, torture, killings, and indiscriminate attacks by Russian forces. Paired with them is the firsthand testimony of Ukrainian writers from the early months of the invasion, including texts from Oleh Kotsarev and Andrey Kurkov.
Extending 150 meters across the gallery walls, the writing creates new dialogue not only with Holzer’s posters, but also with the site-specific mural WAR-TORN (2023) in collaboration with Susan Meiselas and Lady Pink, and the LED sign UKRAINE (2023), both on view as part of Holzer’s K21 exhibition.
Jenny Holzer (b. 1950) is one of the most significant artists working today. She is known throughout the world for her LED installations, posters, paintings, and stoneworks exploring themes such as war, violence, abuse of power, idealism, and absurdity, which have been shown in numerous international exhibitions. The Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen presents Holzer’s first major solo exhibition in Germany in more than a decade. She has conceived her show at K21 as an artwork itself, featuring key works from many different phases of her career, as well as new works devised specifically for K21 and the city of Düsseldorf. In keeping with Holzer’s deeply democratic approach, her works prompt viewers to grapple with conflicting perspectives and find their own empathic, open-minded positions in complex debates. This makes the exhibition—on view until August 6, 2023—a public forum for discussions of current global challenges.
TEXTS
THE HARDEST PART OF THIS ALL IS TO CONTINUE EXPLAINING TO OUR SMALL DAUGHTER WHY HER FATHER STOPPED CALLING
Resource: Wife of a Ukrainian prisoner of war, quoted in Matilda Bogner, “More
than 8 months into Russia’s armed attack on Ukraine and the ensuing escalation in hostilities the UN reports widespread abuse, torture of prisoners of war,” United Nations Ukraine, November 15, 2022, https://ukraine.un.org/en/207332-more-8- months-russia’s-armed-attack-ukraine-and-ensuing-escalation-hostilities-un- reports.
PERPETRATORS RAPED THE WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THEIR HOMES OR TOOK THEM AND RAPED THEM IN UNOCCUPIED DWELLINGS
Resource: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, A/77/3737, ¶ 88, October 18, 2022, https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-
content/uploads/2022/10/report/auto-draft/Inquiry-on-Ukraine.pdf.
WIRD SICH DIE TRAGÖDIE DIE ALS #BUCHAMASSACRE BEKANNT WURDE IRGENDWANN IN EINE ERINNERUNG VERWANDELN? WIRD SIE SICH WIEDERHOLEN? SCHLIMM GENUG DASS ÄHNLICHE ODER SCHLIMMERE GRAUSAMKEITEN ZUR STUNDE IN DEN VOM FEIND BESETZTEN UND ZERSTÖRTEN DÖRFERN UND STÄDTEN DER UKRAINE FORTDAUERN WIRD DER VERSUCH EINER RÜCKKEHR ZUM NORMALEN LEBEN SICH VERSTETIGEN?
(WILL THE TRAGEDY THAT BECAME KNOWN AS #BUCHAMASSACRE EVENTUALLY TURN INTO A MEMORY? WILL IT BE REPEATED? IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT SIMILAR OR WORSE ATROCITIES CONTINUE AT THIS HOUR IN THE VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF UKRAINE OCCUPIED AND DESTROYED BY THE ENEMY WILL THE ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE BE SUCCESSFUL?)
Resource: Oleh Kotsarev, “Butscha. Zu Besuch zu Hause,” trans. Beatrix Kersten (German) and “Bucha: Visiting Home,” trans. Andrew Stonehouse (English),
Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, June 24, 2022,
https://literaturfestival.com/en/worldwide-reading-of-ukrainian-literature.
THEY TIED HANDS BEHIND THEIR BACKS BLINDFOLDED THEM AND BEAT THEM SEVERELY FOR THREE DAYS AFTER WHICH THEY SHOT AND BURIED THEM IN A SHALLOW GRAVE
Resource: A/77/3737, ¶ 70.
I STILL WAKE UP AT NIGHT STAND IN THE DARK AND SCREAM CALL FOR MY SON AND CRY OUT OF PAIN
Resource: A/77/3737, ¶ 74.
JETZT LIEGT DIE STADT IN TRÜMMERN AUF DEN STRASSEN SIND DIE LEICHEN DER BEWOHNER DER STÄNDIGE BESCHUSS MACHT ES UNMÖGLICH SIE ZU BESEITIGEN DIE STADT WURDE FÜR VIELE TAGE UND NÄCHTE UNUNTERBROCHEN BOMBARDIERT UND BESCHOSSEN
(NOW THE CITY IS IN RUINS ON THE STREETS LIE THE CORPSES OF RESIDENTS CONSTANT SHELLING MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THEM THE CITY HAS BEEN BOMBED AND SHELLED CONTINUOUSLY FOR MANY DAYS AND NIGHTS)
Resource: Andrey Kurkov, “Tagebuch einer Invasion” (German) and “Diary of an Invasion” (English), trans. Andrew Stonehouse, Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin, June 24, 2022, https://literaturfestival.com/en/worldwide-reading-of- ukrainian-literature.
WAR CRIME
Resource : A/77/3737, ¶ 75.
SURVIVORS SUSTAINED SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM INJURIES AND TRAUMA SUCH AS BROKEN FACIAL BONES RIBS KNEES AND FINGERS BRUISES OR INJURIES LEADING TO THE INABILITY TO WALK
Resource: A/77/3737, ¶ 85.
A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL COULD HEAR HER MOTHER SCREAMING WHILE SHE WAS RAPED IN THE ADJACENT ROOM
Resource: A/77/3737, ¶ 103.
Digital Booklet K+
The exhibition is accompanied by a digital booklet that provides multimedia insights into the individual creative phases of the artist as well as background information on the work and life of Jenny Holzer. Through QR codes at various stations within the exhibition space, K+ can be accessed via smartphone or tablet while visiting the exhibition.
