Jenny Holzer Quotes

“SPIT ALL OVER SOMEONE WITH A MOUTHFUL OF MILK IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITY FAST.”
― Jenny Holzer

“Destroy superabundance. Starve the flesh, shave the hair, 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, choke 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 light. It's a question of form as much as function. It is a matter of revulsion.”
― Jenny Holzer

“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 soft-hearted. You'll be left alone if you're frightening, and dead you're free!”
― Jenny Holzer

“I WALK IN / I SEE YOU / I WATCH YOU / I SCAN YOU / I WAIT FOR YOU / I TICKLE YOU / I TEASE YOU / I SEARCH YOU / I BREATHE YOU / I TALK / I SMILE / I TOUCH YOUR HAIR / YOU ARE THE ONE / YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME / YOU ARE MY OWN / I SHOW YOU / I FEEL YOU / I ASK YOU / I DON’T ASK / I DON’T WAIT / I WON’T ASK YOU / I CAN’T TELL YOU / I LIE / I AM CRYING HARD / THERE WAS BLOOD / NO ONE TOLD ME / NO ONE KNEW / MY MOTHER KNOWS / I FORGET YOUR NAME / I DON’T THINK / I BURY MY HEAD / I BURY YOUR HEAD / I BURY YOU / MY FEVER / MY SKIN / I CANNOT BREATHE / I CANNOT EAT / I CANNOT WALK / I AM LOSING TIME / I AM LOSING TIME / I AM LOSING GROUND / I CANNOT STAND IT / I CRY / I CRY OUT / I BITE / I BITE YOUR LIP / I BREATHE YOUR BREATH / I PULSE / I PRAY / I PRAY ALOUD / I SMELL YOU ON MY SKIN / I SAY THE WORD / I SAY YOUR NAME / I COVER YOU / I SHELTER YOU / I RUN FROM YOU / I SLEEP BESIDE YOU / I SMELL YOU ON MY CLOTHES / I KEEP YOUR CLOTHES”
― Jenny Holzer

“Food won't go down when you know your mother didn't want you, never liked to feed you, always hated you in her rooms. You were wrong to clutch and swallow and move your mouth. You must not be flushed, layered in fat or ripe from meat or she will despise your sight. Your skeleton cries, "I make no demands, I am ashamed of my needs, I am unworthy. I'm aware of those more deserving, those with prior and urgent claims to food." Skeleton says, "My safety is in slightness, my pride is denial. My victory is no gluttony, no guilt.”
― Jenny Holzer

“IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY FEELING
WHEN PART OF YOUR BODY ARE
TOUCHED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I'M THINKING OF THE SENSATIONS
FROM SEX AND SURGERY.”
― Jenny Holzer

“Go where people sleep and see if they are safe”
― Jenny Holzer

“IT'S NO FUN WATCHING PEOPLE WOUND
THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN HOLE UP,
NURSE THEMSELVES BACK TO HEALTH,
AND REPEAT THE CYCLE.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.”
― Jenny Holzer

“MORE THAN ONCE I'VE AWAKENED WITH
TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS.
I HAVE HAD TO THINK WHETHER
I WAS CRYING OR WHETHER IT
IS INVOLUNTARY, LIKE DROOLING.”
― Jenny Holzer

“WITH BLEEDING INSIDE THE HEAD
THERE IS A METALLIC TASTE AT
THE BACK OF THE THROAT.”
― Jenny Holzer

“WHEN YOU'RE TRYING SOMETHING NEW,
YOU'RE TORN BETWEEN
ANTICIPATING A DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE
AND THINKING YOU'RE A FOOL TO
IGNORE WHAT YOU KNOW YOU LIKE.”
― Jenny Holzer

“SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO NIBBLE ON
THE INSIDES OF THEIR OWN CHEEKS.
IV'E SEEN AN OTHERWISE LOVELY GIRL
CONTORT HER FACE TO REACH A FAVORITE SPOT.
THERE ARE BIT LINES WHERE REPEATED NIPS
HAVE BUILT RIDGES OF SCAR TISSUE.”
― Jenny Holzer

“HOW CONCISE THAT YOU CAN CRY FROM
AWFUL WOUNDS, DESERTION, HAPPINESS,
MEMORIES, HUMILIATION,
DISAPPOINTMENT OR GRANDEUR.”
― Jenny Holzer

“MANY DOGS RUN WILD IN THE CITY.
SOME ARE ABANDONED BY THEIR OWNERS
AND OTHERS ARE BORN TO LOST DOGS.
STRAYS HAVE A LIMITED LIFE EXPECTANCY
EVEN WHEN THEY BAND TOGETHER IN PACKS.
THEY ARE PREY TO DISEASE, PARASITES,
WEATHER AND AUTOMOBILES.
THEY TEND TO BE FRIGHTENED AND VICIOUS.
THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
OR ANYONE ELSE.”
― Jenny Holzer

“THE FOND OLD COUPLE WAS
DISAPPEARING TOGETHER THROUGH
SUCCESSIVE AMPUTATIONS.”
― Jenny Holzer

“THERE'S NO REASON TO SLEEP
CURLED UP AND BENT.
IT'S NOT COMFORTABLE,
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU, AND IT
DOESN'T PROTECT YOU FROM DANGER.
IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT AN ATTACK
YOU SHOULD STAY AWAKE
OR SLEEP LIGHTLY WITH
LIMBS UNFURLED FOR ACTION.”
― Jenny Holzer

“OBVIOUSLY YOU STRIKE OUT
AGAINST PEOPLE WITHIN RANGE.
IT'S CATHARTIC TO AFFECT
SOMEONE WHEN YOU'RE ANGRY.
ALTERNATIVELY, CHOOSE
ENEMIES IMPOSSIBLY FAR AWAY
SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO FIGHT.”
― Jenny Holzer

“IT'S NICE WHEN YOU DECIDE TO LIKE SOMEONE
AND, WITHOUT DECLARING YOURSELF,
DO WHAT'S POSSIBLE
TO FURTHER HIS HAPPINESS.
THIS CAN TAKE THE FORM OF GIFTS,
LOVELY FOOD, PUBLICITY, OR
ADVANCED WARNING.”
― Jenny Holzer

“IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO THINK OF
THEM EATING YOUR FAVORITE FOODS
AND OCCASIONALLY THROWING UP
AND GETTING BITS STUCK
IN THEIR NOSES.”
― Jenny Holzer

“HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT POSITION
TO LIE DOWN WITH PEOPLE
OR EVEN ANIMALS?
OFTEN ONE OF THE PARTNERS IS
SMOTHERED OR CONTORTED.
WHEN DONE PROPERLY, THOUGH,
EVERYONE IS HAPPY.”
― Jenny Holzer

“I SAW THEIR STUNNING BODIES GO SLACK
AND GET HAIR IN THE WRONG PLACES
AND I VOWED I WOULD NOT PERMIT
THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME.”
― Jenny Holzer

“IF THE HOUSE IS BITTER COLD,
ALL THE FLUIDS THEREIN,
IF NOT FROZEN, ARE STIFF AND SLOW.”
― Jenny Holzer

“THE IMPULSE IS TO SQUEEZE AND
FONDLE BABY WILD ANIMALS
BUT THEN THEY'D BE BROKEN AND
WHAT GOOD WOULD THEY BE?”
― Jenny Holzer

“FEW CAN IGNORE A BABY'S CRIES,
EVEN IF THE RESPONSE IS IRRITATION.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BUILT IN SAFEGUARDS
THAT IS SUPPOSED TO GUARANTEE
THE SURVIVAL OF THE RACE.”
― Jenny Holzer