I Am Still Alive (Four Telegrams) 1973

These are telegrams, possibly dating from the 1970s, sent by On Kawara. I can only imagine what it might have been like for Kawara to send these simple messages across the world, "I am still alive", a poignant affirmation, a quiet scream against the void! The repetition of the phrase across these various telegrams is like a meditative mantra, asserting presence and continuity in the face of, well, everything. Kawara’s message, so concise and so direct, speaks to the fundamental human desire to be acknowledged, to leave a mark, to prove that we exist. There's a subtle tension between the impersonal, bureaucratic nature of the telegram form and the deeply personal message it conveys. It reminds me of other artists who have used language in their work, like Jenny Holzer or Ed Ruscha, but Kawara’s work has a unique sense of existential urgency. It's a reminder that art is often about making ourselves visible, both to ourselves and to others.