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| We don't need another hero (1985) |
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| Violence is an Illustration of a Pathetic Stereotype (1991) |
American conceptual/pop artist Barbara 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.
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| Give me all you've got (1987) |
Barbara Kruger is well known for her trademark monochrome layer of texts and images that creates 50’s and 60’s vintage style. Robecchi (2010) describes her style as “ These monochromes’ layer of text and found images are study on the relationship between two while delivering witty commentaries on subjects the artist either invented or borrowed.”
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| Between being born and dying (2009) |
When I looked at her earlier work in 1970s or 1980’s she explores her idea just on the poster format. Most of times it is in monochrome or cool coloured with her trademarked red and white writings but there are exceptions. For example, “Give me all you’ve got (1987), look how bright the colour is but there is always apparent reason to use colours in her posters. Other than it, she was sincerely held on
to her monochromic, vintage style posters. But in 1991, she had done a 3 dimensional installation work called “All Violence is an Illustration of Pathetic Stereotype.” She did not adopt her traditional vintage type font to installation works she instead used bold graphical font that kicks away vintage-ness. After her new experiment work to 3 dimensional visual art, she still produces her trademark style posters on other hand she produces 3 dimensional works recently such as “Between being born and dying” (2009) and her new installation at the art gallery of Ontario (AGO).
to her monochromic, vintage style posters. But in 1991, she had done a 3 dimensional installation work called “All Violence is an Illustration of Pathetic Stereotype.” She did not adopt her traditional vintage type font to installation works she instead used bold graphical font that kicks away vintage-ness. After her new experiment work to 3 dimensional visual art, she still produces her trademark style posters on other hand she produces 3 dimensional works recently such as “Between being born and dying” (2009) and her new installation at the art gallery of Ontario (AGO).
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| Installation at AGO (2010) |
Find 2-3 works by Kruger to add to your blog.
How does the audience experience a more spatial, installation artwork compared with a poster?
How does the audience experience a more spatial, installation artwork compared with a poster?
In my opinion, one thing that spatial art has advantage over 2 dimensional works is the way to better communication with audience. The audience can get more impression or impact by 3 dimensional works. When I looked at Kruger’s recent installations I felt that her use of texts, font, and its placement are giving more graphical impact due to sense of space than when it is on just a flat paper. I think installation is better way for her style to communicate audience.
What elements does Kruger use in her work to create a strong impact?
Firstly she uses vintage style pictures that are seem to be seen in black and white television. This gives her style uniqueness. Secondly Kruger is very good with her witty texts and place them at just the right place, this is very evident in her installations. Lastly she uses very suitable fonts in the right sizes in different works.
All of those things above create powerful visual images.
Comment on the development of her work over the last 30 years.
Kruger’s earlier works were usually stuck to her principles; simple, graphic picture in monochrome, witty vintage font texts that connect with picture well and little point bit of red in every posters. I think because she followed her own style, she had eventually creates big impacts on design that her style is now used and accepted as an own trademark.
Besides her aesthetic side of her works, I admire her and her work because of Barbara Kruger’s strong ideology of feminism and peace. Her works truly reflects her colour.
Reference List
Barbara Kruger (n.d.) Retrieved September 1, 2010 from http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/feminist/Barbara-Kruger.html
Barbara Kruger: Between being born and dying (2009). Retrieved September 1, 2010 from http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/7933/barbara-kruger-between-being-born-and-dying.html
Barbara Kruger installation at AGO(2010). Retrieved September 1, 2010 from
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/10062/barbara-kruger-installation-at-the-ago.html
Hello Eunice~~
ReplyDeleteI got a lot of background knowlage by reading your blog, and I am really suprised that you have found some quite new works of Barbara Kruger.
I think her recent works are much more visulable than the earlier works.I like the work you chose ,Give me all you've got (1987) , and Between being born and dying (2009).they are really strong and good looking frames with wonderful ideas.
True, 'she did not adopt her traditional vintage type font to installation works she instead used bold graphical font that kicks away vintage-ness' quote is very interesting as i suppose during that time, it might of been a phase where traditional fonts might of been in trend. And that installation at AGO (2010) is such a cool billboard, something i would chuck up in my room. But yeah, Barbara Kruger is a great graphic designer and is a great influence in the time where there is a neglected few of great woman artist in comparison to male artists.
ReplyDeleteI agree your posting.
ReplyDelete[untitled (between being born and dying), 2008]
It is recent work in her works for Moderna Museet’s 50th anniversary in 2008.
It was installed in museum by posters. she used images which was taken by her and text. The expression which was mixed photos and words or sentences usually shows black and white photos and the red and white texts. This work is poster style but it looks like interior or installation art in the museum as well. I think this work was made more develop by her than existing other works.
I think spatial art and installation are 3D works which show three-dimensional structure but 2D works such as visual art and graphic art like poster which show flat structure. When 3D artist make works, they always use materials which can be solid things so viewers feel various things in one space. On the other hand her work looks like 3D but her material or her expression ways is 2D. She made by both 2D and 3D so audience experience is more spatial than existing other 2D and 3D works.