Gerz beabsichtigt mit dieser Arbeit, die Gegenwart, die gelebten Augenblicke dadurch aufzuwerten, daß er versucht, sie so unmittelbar wie möglich, d.h. im Augenblick selbst, bewußt zu machen.

Margarethe Joachimsen 1975.

As the present becomes absent in a split second, the former must somehow be grasped. There are two possible ways to achieve this: either we inscribe the former into our memory or we allow images to do it for us.

Bojana Pejic 1993

Though formally diverse, Gerz's works all seek to empower viewers, offering them the authority and freedom to construct meaning. This is most evident in his "interactive sculptures," which solicit public opinion as their primary material… In the installation The Memorial Day for May 29, 1974, Take Place on the Same Day, 1974, … a microphone hooked up to a loudspeaker … projects the voice of anyone who wishes to be heard. The work equalizes the roles of artist and spectator, dismantling the traditional hierarchy that elevates art and artist above the viewing public. The content of The Memorial Day is ephemeral - the voices are not recorded.

Kirby Gookin 1996

It is all about the function of time as a factor in arts and culture. Nothing withstands time without change.

Volker Rattemeyer 1997. Translated by e_CR editors