World-famous artist Jenny Holzer comes to Scunthorpe – free exhibition opens at 20-21

One of the world’s most influential contemporary artists has arrived in Scunthorpe.

Jenny Holzer – renowned for her bold, provocative work across the globe – is the focus of a major, free exhibition at 20-21 – North Lincolnshire’s premier arts gallery.

Presented as part of ARTIST ROOMS, in partnership with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland, the exhibition brings internationally significant contemporary art to North Lincolnshire.

Cllr John Davison, cabinet member for safer, stronger communities (urban) at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “You don’t have to travel to London or Edinburgh to see world-class art.

“This exhibition brings internationally renowned work right to the heart of Scunthorpe, free for everyone to enjoy – and that says a lot about our ambition for North Lincolnshire.”

Holzer is best known for using words as her medium. Her short, striking statements explore power, politics, equality and truth – challenging how language influences what we believe and how we behave. Her work has appeared everywhere from city streets and billboards to some of the world’s leading galleries.

The exhibition brings together works spanning more than five decades of her career. Highlights include Truisms – the short, often contradictory statements that first appeared as posters and stickers across New York – presented through illuminated LED works.

Ceri Lewis, Senior Curator for ARTIST ROOMS, said: “Jenny Holzer challenges our expectations about art: what it is, where we see it, for whom it is made, and what it can do in the world. She chose language as her medium for its power to reach people, wanting to make art ‘that’s understandable, that has some relevance and importance to almost anyone inclined to look’.

“For five decades her provocations around power, equality, politics and social justice have sparked debate.  We hope that her art and her activism will resonate with a new generation though this collaboration with 20-21 Visuals Arts Centre, which brings our national collection to new audiences in the communities of North Lincolnshire.”

At the heart of the exhibition is Blue Purple Tilt, a dramatic, large-scale LED installation programmed with hundreds of Holzer’s texts, flooding the gallery with colour, movement and message.

The exhibition is free to visit, removing barriers to access and giving local audiences the rare chance to experience world-class contemporary art on their doorstep – while also attracting visitors to Scunthorpe from across the UK.

Cllr Davison added: “This is about ambition, access and pride in place – bringing world-class art to North Lincolnshire and making it free for everyone.”

Visitor information

Exhibition: ARTIST ROOMS: Jenny Holzer
Venue: 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe
Dates: 31 January – 13 June 2026
Opening hours: 10am–4pm, Tuesday to Saturday
Admission: Free

Image Information

Jenny Holzer BLUE PURPLE TILE 2007
ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland
Photo © Tate / Artwork © 2026 Jenny Holzer, member/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York