Jenny Holzer

UNEX Sign #1 (Selections from The Survival Series)
1983, refabricated 2012

A digital display board with a message in bright white and green lights against a black background that reads "FINDING EXTREME PLEASURE WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON IF YOU'RE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT THRILLS YOU." Red lights punctuate the display at various points.
A digital display board with a message in bright white and green lights against a black background that reads "FINDING EXTREME PLEASURE WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON IF YOU'RE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT THRILLS YOU." Red lights punctuate the display at various points.

Not on view

Date
1983, refabricated 2012

Classification
Sculpture

Medium
LED sign in powder-coated aluminum housing

Dimensions
Overall: 31 1/8 × 106 × 12in. (79.1 × 269.2 × 30.5 cm)

Accession number
84.8

Edition
1/3 | 1 AP

Credit line
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Louis and Bessie Adler Foundation, Inc., Seymour M. Klein, President

Rights and reproductions
© Jenny Holzer / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

API
artworks/1370

Part of a series:

Studies for Unex Sign #1

23 works

A hand-drawn illustration of a fish with a circular wheel attached to its underside, resembling a fish on a skateboard, taped to a white background with yellow pieces of tape. The drawing includes black outlines with purple shading and is partially overlapping a piece of paper with scribbled black lines. There's a small notation "#03" in the top right corner of the background paper.
A simplistic black and white drawing of a figure with multiple circular shapes for a head, resembling a gas mask, and a body wrapped in thick, horizontal bands, possibly representing clothing or armor. The figure's arms are crossed, and there is a single antenna-like protrusion on top of the head. The background is plain white.
A simple black and white line drawing of a globe centered on the North Atlantic, showing parts of North America, Europe, and Africa, on a cream-colored background.
A sketch of a reclining baby with exaggerated features drawn in bold, dark lines on a piece of paper. The baby's expression is peaceful, and the drawing is stylized with minimal detail. Handwritten notes on the right side of the paper suggest color details for a blue blanket with red where folds are. The number "#55" is also written near the bottom right corner.
A simple line drawing of a clenched fist viewed from the side, with the thumb tucked in and visible above the fingers. The drawing is done in purple lines on a cream-colored background, and the cuff of the sleeve is filled in with black and purple colors. The paper appears slightly wrinkled or creased at the edges.
A hand-drawn illustration on a piece of paper featuring three animal silhouettes: a horse with a rider, a deer with large antlers, and a goat with curved horns. The animals are colored in with a dark hue, possibly black or purple, against a white background. There are handwritten notes and numbers on the paper, suggesting this might be a draft or part of a series.
A hand-drawn illustration of a human skeleton on a piece of paper, with prominent black and purple outlines depicting the bones. The drawing includes the skull, spine, ribcage, pelvis, and limbs. The paper appears aged and has creases, suggesting it may be an older artwork.
Illustration of a person with an exaggerated expression, featuring wide eyes and an open mouth as if shouting or singing. The character has purple-tinted hair with a hair clip, and is wearing a black top with a ruffled collar. The drawing is done in a simple, cartoonish style with bold outlines and minimal color, on an off-white paper background.
Sketch of a stylized female face with prominent eyelashes and lips, wearing a ruffled collar or garment, drawn in black ink with purple accents on an off-white paper background.
A sketch of a stylized profile of a face with prominent lines and angles, drawn in purple ink on a piece of paper with some creases and tape at the top. Handwritten notes and numbers are visible at the top edge of the paper.

Jenny Holzer
35 works in the collection

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