Barbara Kruger

'I Shop Therefore I am' (1987) Barbara Kruger

'Face It(Green)' (2007) Barbara Kruger


1. Describe the 'style' that Kruger has used in the two presented works.

Kruger uses a style very similar to that of Andy Warhol. She uses block writing and images to get across a point in which is clear cut and simple. In a word we could call her word very much commercial.

2. What are some of the concepts and messages that Kruger is communicating in them?

Messages that she portrays are extremely bold and daring. Type such as 'Your Body Is A Battleground' is a daring take on Kruger's idea of what abortion is and her view on it, which is a negative one, Kruger is known for her extreme femminist views. Another unconventional work is her famous 'Untitled (Questions)' inwhich she uses the American flag as a base and then places type over the top asking questions such as 'Who is free to choose?' ,'Who laughs last?' ,'Who dies first?'

3. Do these images communicate these ideas effectively? Explain your answer.

They are a contreversial propaganda designed to force an idea on the viewer, because of their bold message. The obviousness of this is very hard to miss, which is why the messages are indeed effective. Reviews of her have been quoted saying 'Kruger's word confronts and questions dominant society.' In other words putting us up to seeing something we have being avoiding. She has greatly influenced the art industry because of the hype around her messages.

4. Define the concept of Mercantillism and explain how these two examples can connect with the concept.

Kruger believes that we live in an materialistic world, as we very much do. The featured images read 'I Shop Therefore I am' and 'Face It' both of these texts are referring to how our worlds are so obsessed with how we look and with owning things that we are forgetting what is important. Kruger is showing her usual style of taking an idea we do not like to face up to, putting it as bluntly as possible and forcing us to think about it. Mercantillism is all to do with the want and need for having and keeping material possessions and, more importantly, money. This images connect with that concept because they are both about the want for those two things.
When Mercantillism was popular during and around the renaissance. It was the idea that a country could benefit from importing goods into their nation and keeping them without exporting their own goods. This plan, obviously,was very much flawed as there was no circulation of the economy. We can relate this to Kruger's work as she sees people buying for their own materialistic gain and this is what relates her work to Mercantillism and Mercantillists had a similar idea of personal gain through materillistic gain.

5. Upload a more recent example of Kruger's work where she has used a new medium, that is not graphic design. Title your image of the chosen work and comment on your response to the work. How do you think the audience would experience this work?

This piece is titled 'Chess Set' and has been designed by Barbara Kruger. This piece is extremely ironic for her because it itself costs US$30,000, and Kruger claims to not be materialistic. The reason for the cost behind the piece is because the chess pieces themselves actually speak. I think that the audience would respond similarly to how I myself have, thinking it is an ironic piece for her to have created.
The talking Chess Set inwhich I have chosen has chess pieces that actually speak to you, apparently, these pieces taunt your apponent into making certain moves trying to throw each of the chess players off their game. The chess set is all had constructed and features 3 intergrated computers. Another one by Kruger with the intend to amaze her audience with art of a ridculous nature.

References.

The Barbara Kruger Biography (2003)
www.barbarakruger.com/biography.shtml

Barbara Kruger - Signs of Postmodernity (1999)
www.wdog.com/rider/writings/real_kruger.htm

Collection On Barbara Kruger (2002)
www.leftmatrix.com/krugerlist.html