It all kicked off with the emeralds, all-black and shiny pins of the Golden Globes. And the new trend for feminist protest on the red carpet shows no sign of stopping, with stars wearing white roses to show solidarity with the Time’s Up movement at last night’s Grammy Awards (28 Jan). 

And one star went even further: singer Lorde, who accessorised her dress with a poem by feminist artist Jenny Holzer. 

The poem reads as follows:

“Rejoice! Our times are intolerable. Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best. Only dire circumstance can precipitate the overthrow of oppressors. The old and corrupt must be laid to waste before the just can triumph. Contradiction will be heightened. The reckoning will be hastened by the staging of seed disturbances. The apocalypse will blossom”.

Holzer, from whose Inflammatory Essays the piece is taken from, is best known for her bold text-based pieces, many of which are delivered in public spaces. Some of her most famous works include phrases (which she refers to as ‘truisms’) placed on cinema marquees, on billboards and on illuminated electronic displays. Holzer also describes her work as having a focus on “the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces”, making Lorde’s statement even more apt. 

Image: Rex Features