In this article, I chart the continual reemergence of social disruption and cultural critique in the twentieth century, critically examining how this history provides insight into Jenny Holzer's and Krzysztof Wodiczko's use of alternative media in their critical public art. This analysis points to the historical reemergence of a desire to comment on urban life vis-à-vis media practices in a way that allows us to reimagine alternative uses of media. I argue that Holzer and Wodiczko are part of an important cultural tradition, yet a combination of revanchist urban programs and the failure of mainstream media to facilitate democratic participation provide a significant contemporary context for Holzer's and Wodiczko's alternative media practices.
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