Barbara Kruger

By: Lina YazbakArt History 2 pd. 4

Early Life• Born on January 26,

1945 in Newark, New Jersey.

• Nationality: American • Barbara lived in New

York while she attended Syracuse and studied art and design at Parson’s school of design in 1965 with Diane Arbus and Marvin Israel.

Barbara’s career

• After her studies, Barbara obtained a design job at Conde Nast Publications.

• She worked for Mademoiselle magazine and was quickly promoted to head designer.

• Later on, she worked as a graphic designer, art director, and picture editor in the art departments at House and Garden, Aperture, and other publications.

Barbara’s style

• Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist.

• Her style is very bold and visual.

• Her works were a mix of found photographs and aggressive texts.

• Her earlier works date to 1969.

Style continued…• Barbara layers found photographs

and covers them with her trademark white letters against a red background. (White futura bold font)

• She has very confrontational work.

• Uses her art to make strong statements about power, politics, and gender.

• Barbara took up photography in 1977 but stopped taking photographs in 1979. She then began using found images with satirical words collaged over them.

Barbara’s Inspiration

• Barbara Kruger’s work focuses on the perspective of women in the media, and how they are perceived by men. Her influences are juxtapositions of movies, television, and the stereotypical situations of everyday life. Barbara was inspired by the idea of consumerism. She uses her art to make a strong statement against politics, women, gender, and power. Barbara was heavily influenced by her early years of working as a graphic designer. Her social and political concerns is what inspires her pieces. She used her art as feminist provocations and commentaries on religion, sex, gender and racial stereotypes, and power.

Barbara Kruger, untitled (The war for me to become you), 2008. Pigment print, 31.83x40 in.

Barbara Kruger, untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face.) 1981, Pigment Print 49.5x3.79 in.

Barbara Kruger, untitled (Your misery loves company) Collage, 1985

Barbara Kruger, untitled (Now you see us now you don’t.) Collage, 1983

Barbara Kruger, untitled (You are a very Special person) Collage, 1995

Barbara Kruger, Repeat after me, 1985. Silkscreen on Vinyl. 250xW:250cm/ h: 98.4xW: 98.4 in.

Barbara Kruger, Your comfort is my Silence. 1981. Collage

Barbara Kruger, Don’t be a Jerk. 1977. Collage

Barbara Kruger, untitled (Money can buy you love) 1983. Collage. H: 19.5xw:17.5cm./h:7.7xw:6.9 in.

Description:This is a collage/ digital print

by Barbara Kruger. It is untitled but usually referred to as Who’s the fairest of them all. This is a photo of a girl standing up and looking at herself in a hand mirror. It is a black and white photo with White writing on a red background. There are shadows being casted over the girl and a lot of shading in the walls. This looks like a photo that would have been taken a long time ago. This picture has an allusion to the children’s movie Snow White. It has a calm and questioning mood.

Analysis:This photo is primarily black and white with the exception of the red boxes with the message inside. The black and white photo make the writing appear more dramatic and make it pop. The writing is bold and is the first thing that catches my eye. This photo uses many examples of line in the chair and shelf behind the girl. This photo has a lot of texture, especially on the wall behind the girl. There are many dark and light values in this photo as well.

Interpretation:In this work Barbara’s statement is directed towards women. I think this is meant to show the stereotypes toward women. It is used to make a strong statement about gender. This relates to my life because I am a woman facing many stereotypes in society everyday. Today, looks and physical appearances are a very important thing in our society. I think Barbara chose this photo because it shows how women depict themselves and how people are judged based on their appearance.

Judgment:

This photo has an insightful connection to today's society ad how some people value physical appearances. It conveys an important social message that looks aren't everything. There are other more important things then people’s looks. I think this work benefits others because it communicates an idea that people are judged based on their looks and people compete over something that doesn’t even mean anything. I think this picture shows how now people judge each other because of their appearance and compete to see who can look the best. Looks are irrelevant and it should be about the person’s character.

1. What is Barbara Kruger’s style? A. SurrealismB. Bold and VisualC. Pop artD. Cubism

B

2. What year did Barbara Kruger stop taking photographs of her own?A. 1976B. 1983C. 1963D.1979

D

3. What school did Barbara Kruger study at?A. University of Southern CaliforniaB. New York universityC. Syracuse D. Georgia Tech

C

4. What is Barbara Kruger’s trade mark?A. Black writing against a blue backgroundB. Red writing against a white backgroundC. White writing against a red backgroundD. Yellow writing against a green background

C

5. Where was Barbara Kruger born?A. New JerseyB. WyomingC. KentuckyD. Montana

A