For the Garden

Jenny Holzer, one of America's foremost Contemporary artists, has a broad repertoire across an international stage. As a conceptual artist, text—from the political to the poetic—is central to her catalogue. From large-scale digital images, to simple printed handbills, to carvings in granite and stone, Holzer carefully examines all physical and social aspects of the context of a given work and, regardless of media, meticulously considers the realization of the final form.

For the Garden, 2015, is a site-specific work. Unifying subjects are poetic expressions around ideas of the garden and mysteries of the natural world. These are hand carved across the surface of 13 individual boulders, to be discovered by the viewer as they explore the garden.

Working directly with authors or their representative and translators, Holzer has created one of the most interesting and engaging works in the permanent collection. Peruse the list of poems and the original authors and publications comprising For the Garden.

Jenny Holzer. For the Garden, 2015. Thirteen carved boulders, dimensions variable. The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Acquisition. © Jenny Holzer.