American conceptual/pop artistBarbara Kruger is internationally renowned for her signature black, white and red poster-style works of art that convey in-your-face messages on women's rights and issues of power. Coming out of the magazine publishing industry, Kruger knows precisely how to capture the viewer's attention with her bold and witty photomurals displayed on billboards, bus stops and public transportation as well as in major museums and galleries wordwide. She has edited books on cultural theory, including Remaking History for the Dia Foundation, and has published articles in the New York Times, Artforum, and other periodicals. Monographs on her work include Love for Sale, We Won't Play Nature to Your Culture and others. She is represented in New York by Mary Boone Gallery. A major exhibition of her work will be presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in fall 1999, and at the Whitney Museum in New York in 2000.
Research Kruger's work to find an example from the 1970s or 1980s to compare with a more recent work. How has Kruger's work changed with the developments in contemporary visual arts? Describe a recent work that moves away from the 'poster' type work of her early career.
'Your body is a battleground' 1989 is mainly focused on one image with a few bits of red text. It is much more about the picture with stand out opinions. Krugers then went on to cover the ceilings and floors of a gallery in which focused more on text with a few images here and there. She transformed a white space into something red, black, white and full of a statement. This was the beginning of her development from focusing on image and then onto text. 'Untitled' (shafted) 2008 is a digital print with much bolder text and blocked colours. The text creates the image with only a small percentage of it black and white photography.
How does the audience experience a more spatial, installation art work compared with a poster?
Being surrounded by the work at every angel lets the viewer have a more statement experience. Spaces interact and therefore have a longer lasting experience. I think that with a poster, you are less likely to read the text. However in a space, the text is what gets you to move around the room as because its bigger and in your face, its more likely to grab your attention. I feel like the text sets the pathway around the gallery.
What elements does Kruger use in her work to create a strong impact?
I would say defiantly the colours she uses. Also the bold text and her quotes which most of the time involve the audience. She uses compositions which grab attention and usually the red is where the eye travels first.
I feel like her style has stayed similar over the years, but her topics have changed with whats going on around her. One thing for sure is that she is not afraid to make a statement and her colours alongside her words make a feel bold range of works.
http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/feminist/Barbara-Kruger.html
http://www.wdog.com/rider/writings/real_kruger.htm
http://www.google.co.nz/images?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=barbara%20kruger&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1400&bih=697
http://www.designrelated.com/inspiration/view/KateAndrews/entry/1334/barbara-kruger
I really like Krugers work and think she has moved in the right direction using installations rather than using posters. I agree with what Anita has said about how you get more of an experience in an installation rather than the work being on a wall. With the installation you feel like you are amongst the art work and actually involved in it. Its not like you could go walk on or in Kruger's 'her body is a battle field' poster. Her bold phrases included in the installation make the work a lot more effective and you cant escape the message she is trying to tell you. I think over time Kruger has moved from feminism and politics to more of how we treat each other in society. i really like how she clearly states her opinions in her work and it reminds me of some sort of art politician. Over the years i think the best work Kruger has produced in my opinion is her latest installation born dying. I look forward to seeing more of her work and see her new opinions she has about our world.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I think that her installations have much more of an effect on the viewers. They are more powerful than posters and capture a lot more of peoples attention due to the scale and presentation of the work. I think that her use of the white text on the red backround is really powerful as it stands out from afar and captures peoples attention. I like that her work has an underlying meaning whether it be about feminism, issues in society or politics. I really like her work and will keep her in mind when doing research in graphic design.
ReplyDeletei absolutely agree that Kruger's spatial work really surrounds the audience. i find that as soon as someone would walk into such a room, the work immediately will interact with you. Asthough being yelled at you are surrounded by bold words and the color red. Would you find that was the mood that the color red brings into the installation? as though you were being forced to listen to the issues of todays society. I also have to agree with you when you say her techniques have stayed the same, although this is true i find that her portrayal of ideas have changed from just being on posters, but billboards and a full Gallery room. I really like the whole 'in your face' quality that Krugers work has, it really makes you think about what the text may read, and i think that may be the whole point.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Krugers spatial work was a great step for the direction to take. However they are much more bold in how they engage with the viewer. obviously the colour scheme adds to the intensity of the pieces. I feel alot of the power behind the poster is its slight mystery and generally subtler nature as a medium. I almost think of posters as temporary things however a neglected image can easily become a part of the city streets and be left for much longer than expected i suppose i just preferr the idea of the quite often very important messages having a wierd and wonderful way of entering some ones thoughts. rather tahn conciously going to gallery to observe art.
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