Grammy Awards 2018: Lorde’s dress carries a powerful feminist message from Jenny Holzer

The singer opted to wear feminist text instead of a white rose

Lorde proclaimed her support for the #TimesUp movement by displaying a powerful feminist message on her dress at the Grammy Awards.

The singer wore a red Valentino dress at the award show with an excerpt written by influential artist Jenny Holzer stitched onto the back.

The passage, which is from Holzer’s 1979-82 artwork Inflammatory Essays, 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.”

Lorde, who was nominated for Album of the Year, shared a photo of the passage stitched on her dress on Instagram.

Her caption read: “My version of a white rose - THE APOCALYPSE WILL BLOSSOM - an excerpt from the greatest of all time, Jenny Holzer.”

The majority of attendees of the Grammy Awards chose to wear white roses in support of the #TimesUp movement, following a plan organised by Meg Harkins and Kerin Rait to emulate those who wore black at the Golden Globe Awards.

Several people felt inspired by Lorde’s appreciation for Holzer’s pioneering words.

“Lorde’s understanding that Jenny Holzer is the greatest of all time confirms that we are going to fall in some kind of love,” one person wrote on Twitter.

However, while Lorde was proudly sporting a feminist statement during the awards ceremony, many felt disappointed by the treatment she received as a female artist.

Lorde was the only female artist nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, alongside Jay Z, Childish Gambino, Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar.

However, she was the only nominee not asked to give a solo performance on the night.

Lorde was supposedly asked to perform as part of an ensemble in honour of Tom Petty, which she refused.