No Help for That | Jackie Clark

from Jenny Holzer and her various projects

Truisms

“Being judgmental is a sign of life”
“Abstraction is a type of decadence”
“Romantic love was invented to manipulate women” (Ha!)
“Protect me from what I want”
“Myths make reality more intelligible”
“A strong sense of duty imprisons you”

The Living Series

“Some days you wake and immediately start to worry. Nothing in particular is wrong, it’s just the suspicion that forces are aligning quietly and there will be trouble.”

The Survival Series

“Spit all over someone with a mouthful of milk if you want to find out something about their personality fast.” (Wish that I had tried this with certain people, though I think I can imagine what the result would have been. Actually, I was on the receiving end of a similar kind of situation today. As I was laying in the park, trying desperately to get through this week’s New Yorker, a little white puppy named Gabby jumped right on top of me and started licking my face. The owner politely apologized and came to collect his dog. Not two seconds later the dog is back on my chest, wildly licking my face again. The owner once again returns to collect his dog only to say in utmost seriousness “I’m trying to teach her without the leash.” The only appropriate response I could come up with is “Doesn’t look like you’re doing that good of a job.”)

“In a dream you saw a way to survive and you were full of joy.” (This reminds me of my most favorite dream I ever remember having. The dream was me, and some mystery person, and a setting of water. The water was itself a character. Me and the mystery person were being thrown up in the air by the water. We were laughing the entire time. The water kept catching us, and throwing us back up into the sky. I woke myself up with my own laughter.)

“Outerspace is where you discover wonder, where you fight and never hurt earth. If you stop believing this, your mood turns ugly.” (Upon first reading this I read “your moon turns ugly.” I was disappointed to reread it and learn that this wasn’t the case.)

“It is in your self-interest to find a way to be very tender” (Why yes, yes it is.)

Under a Rock

“Tick Tick”

Laments

“I see space and it looks like nothing and I want it around me.”

“I’m afraid of what I do not know so I may kill myself and light fires.”