Subtitled: Just because MoMA’s charging $20 admission doesn’t necessarily mean Money Creates Taste
Back in 1979, when Micro-Soft was spelled with a hyphen, Jenny Holzer, an artist a couple years older than Bill Gates, released her first series of ‘Word-Art’. Though not an original concept (what in the art world is?), within a few short years Holzer’s Truism works were everywhere you looked in NYC. They could be found[ul]
[li]On parking meters [/li][li]At the crossroads of the world; Broadway & 6th Avenue[/li][li]Stuck on garbage cans[/li][li]On The Great White Way[/li][li]Times Square[/li][li]and even on the Las Vegas Strip[/ul]From what I see on the internet, it looks to me like Holzer is still churning out conceptual truism pieces to this day. [/li]
If I had to guess, back in 1984, I’d estimate more than half of my high school class had at least one Truism T shirt and quite a few had a Truism poster. In fact, down in Alphabet City, you’d have to be blind to avoid seeing posted truism notes and the graffitti they helped inspire.
Anyway - On to the 250+ truisms list, which you can find =>LINKED HERE.
Instead of rambling on in MPSIMS about a bunch of pop art philosophy, I figured I’d post a few of my favorites here in IMHO:[ul]
[quote]
[li]A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS ARE CRACKPOTS[/li][li]A SENSE OF TIMING IS THE MARK OF A GENIUS[/li][li]DECADENCE CAN BE AN END IN ITSELF[/li][li]DYING SHOULD BE EASY AS FALLING OFF A LOG[/li][li]EATING TOO MUCH IS CRIMINAL[/li][li]GOVERNMENT IS A BURDEN ON THE PEOPLE[/li][li]HOLDING BACK PROTECTS YOUR VITAL ENERGIES[/li][li]IT IS MAN’S FATE TO OUTSMART HIMSELF[/li][li]LISTEN WHEN YOUR BODY TALKS[/li][li]MEN ARE NOT MONOGAMOUS BY NATURE[/li][li]POLITICS IS USED FOR PERSONAL GAIN[/li][li]SLOPPY THINKING GETS WORSE OVER TIME[/li][li]TECHNOLOGY WILL MAKE OR BREAK US[/li][li]WORDS TEND TO BE INADEQUATE[/li][/quote]
[/ul]
I’ll concede many of the truisms in the above link are controversial (and some are misspelled). But I also found I learned a little bit about myself upon revisiting the extended list of truisms. Looking back, I was surprised to discover how much my philosophies, outlook & politics have changed since I saw the original ‘Survival Series Truisms’ in early 1980’s.
How about you:
Do you recall them in their heyday?
Have a few favorites you’d care to share?
Did you come across any that really strike a chord with you?
Or, did you see any that struck a raw nerve?