Instructions

To begin, read about Jenny Holzer and her Truisms: Jenny Holzer and her Work

After reading about Jenny Holzer, now it’s your turn to make: TRUISMS: A SOCIAL JUSTICE PROJECT

As a group, students will produce a Jenny-Holzer-like artwork where a text is integrated into or imposed upon an object or in the public sphere. Each group will create a series of truisms.

Like Holzer your assignment will be to incorporate text into objects and create your own truisms.

Step 1:

Read over Part 2 and Part 3 so that you are familiar with them.

Step 2:

Brainstorm your truisms (At least one Canvas discussion should take place for this.). Topics can include (but are in no way limited to): race, gender, environmental, historical, cultural issues.  The only boundary is that your topic should relate to social justice.

Take a cue from Holzer! With your collective, brainstorm short phrases that fall under your group’s chosen topic. Do this  in the Group Discussion Board in Canvas. Remember that truisms are short and concise statements. Kick around some ideas on the Discussion Board.

Step 3:

Brainstorm Objects (At least one Canvas discussion should be devoted to this task.). Review your list of truisms. Next, think about what objects may fit the truisms. Use everyday objects.

Examples of objects include everything and anything: wrappers, flower pots—the list is endless. I generally discourage students from going out and purchasing something new. Examples of other objects might include parking meters, telephone poles, your breakfast cereal….

NOTE 1: I generally discourage the purchase of new objects; it’s not necessary for this project. On the other hand, please do distinguish between thoughtfully selecting found-objects and carelessly and hastily throwing things together. Successful projects will have thoughtfulness both in concept and in execution. Do take this project seriously, and don’t just throw things together.

NOTE 2: No school email or text discussions, please! All course group communication including discussions MUST stay in your Canvas group area. There are numerous reasons for this: First it’s school policy. Next, if a discussion is on a student’s text message, it is very hard for the instructor to access that information. Third, some students do not check emails regularly, especially for this class. Let’s keep the filed level and all use Canvas!

Topics should in some way encompass the topic of social justice. All points of views are welcome as long as the message is kept civil.

Step 4:

Experiment and Create (At least one Canvas discussion session should be devoted to this!)

• As a group, experiment combining various objects and various texts.
• Texts can be imposed on objects on a variety of ways; hand-written with sharpie or chalk, printed on a piece of paper and then glued or taped on, spelled out with other objects like sand, Cheerios, etc. Be innovative, show something new!
• Settle on TWO final pieces of objects integrated with texts.
• Finally, take digital photos of these art objects—two photos, one art object in each. Remember that your artwork will only be as good as its photograph!
• Here are some tips on successful photography: It’s best and easiest to use even daylight. Maintain a good distance, so that the camera is not too far from or too close to your artwork. Keep unnecessary clutter out of the frame.