Jenny Holzer receives Rosenberger Medal
July 5, 2019
During Convocation ceremonies on June 15, the University of Chicago awarded the 2019 Jesse L. Rosenberger Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Creative and Performing Arts to artist Jenny Holzer, “whose unique text-based work is ambitious, relevant and influential” and who studied at the University of Chicago in the early 1970s.
A pioneer in using public art as social intervention, Holzer is perhaps best known for her Truisms—aphorisms such as “Abuse of power comes as no surprise” and “Protect me from what I want” featuring posters, billboards, LED signs, light projections and more.
For 40 years, the New York-based Holzer has presented her works in public places and international exhibitions, including 7 World Trade Center, the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the Guggenheim Museums in New York and Bilbao, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. She was the first woman artist to exhibit at Blenheim Palace.
