The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 20, 2026

A horizontally oriented silver metallic sheet is partitioned into four quadrants by thin white lines, with a textured gray strip on the far left. Centered in each section is stark black text. The top quadrants declare "MEN DON'T PROTECT YOU ANYMORE" and "THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR WILL BE SECRET." The bottom segments feature longer provocations concerning the pursuit of pleasure and a cynical question about where to live if one hates poor people.

Messages

1988

Jenny Holzer

(American, b.1950)
published by

Printed at Millner Brothers, New York, Published by the artist

America
1 of 6 sheets each with 4 self-adhesive stickers in plastic bag
Sheet: 15.3 x 23.4 cm (6 x 9 3/16 in.)
Gift of Barbara Tannenbaum and Mark Soppeland 2015.437.6
© Jenny Holzer, member Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Location: Not on view
  • {{cite web|title=Messages|url=false|author=Jenny Holzer, Printed at Millner Brothers, New York, Published by the artist|year=1988|access-date=20 April 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2015.437.6