Alfredo JaarHe Ram, 1991
Alfredo Jaar is a Chilean-born artist whose practice spans installation, photography, video and text-based work. Deeply concerned with the politics of representation, Jaar explores how images and language shape public understanding of social and political realities. His works often engage with themes of violence, memory and human rights, yet he resists overt or sensational imagery in favour of conceptual strategies that invite critical reflection. Through restrained visual forms and carefully constructed encounters, Jaar encourages viewers to reconsider their role as witnesses to global injustice.
‘He Ram’ is a striking example of Jaar’s use of minimal form to confront the viewer with moral questions. The work consists of seven lines of text silkscreened onto a mirrored surface, drawn from Mahatma Gandhi’s “Seven Social Sins”, which include phrases such as “Politics without Principles” and “Commerce without Morality”. As the viewer reads the text, their own reflection appears in the mirror, positioning them within the ethical concerns articulated by the work. In this way, Jaar turns the act of looking into a moment of introspection, implicating the viewer not as a distant observer but as an active participant in the moral landscape the text outlines.
The mirror in ‘He Ram’ functions both literally and metaphorically, aligning with Jaar’s broader interest in how visual structures mediate social consciousness. The work does not rely on imagery of violence or suffering, but rather on language and presence to generate critical thought. It echoes Jaar’s conviction that knowledge must precede action, and that art can serve as a quiet but forceful catalyst for social awareness. Through its simplicity, the work invites a deeper encounter with conscience, asking each viewer to consider their role in the ethical fabric of the world.
