Phase II... Running Start Decisive Operations violet 2007

Curator: Jenny Holzer, born in 1950, created "Phase II... Running Start Decisive Operations violet," the dimensions of which are roughly 2 by 2.6 meters. Editor: It's quite striking – almost oppressive – with its violet hue washing over what seems to be a declassified military map. Curator: Indeed. Holzer reproduced a declassified document detailing military strategy in Iraq. The stark language lays bare the operational objectives. Editor: I notice the recurring symbols – they point to specific military units and strategic targets. I suppose the purple tint evokes a sense of urgency. It’s less about specific places and more about an experience. Curator: Absolutely. Holzer presents us with the cold, detached language of war, inviting us to confront the complex socio-political implications of military intervention. Its form highlights power structures and institutional violence. Editor: Seeing the actual language of military strategy, abstracted and aestheticized, is deeply unsettling. It forces a confrontation with the reality of war and those structures of power. Curator: Precisely. Holzer's work encourages critical reflection on the ethical and political dimensions of contemporary conflict. Editor: It's a potent reminder of the human cost obscured by the language of military objectives.