Left Palm and Knife Edge 000417 2007

This artwork, by Jenny Holzer, presents a stark image created using what appears to be ink on paper. The composition is dominated by a grayscale palette, lending a clinical and detached feel to the work. The central motif—a left palm print overlaid with bold, black lines—immediately draws the eye. The handprint, with its delicate ridges and whorls, contrasts sharply with the assertive black lines that slice through it, disrupting its form. These lines, reminiscent of knife edges, create a sense of violence. Holzer, known for her text-based art, uses visual elements here to explore themes of power, surveillance, and the body. The interplay between the organic handprint and the geometric lines destabilizes the conventional understanding of identity and control. This contrast challenges fixed meanings, inviting viewers to consider the relationships between the individual and systems of authority. Holzer's artistic choices here function as a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.