Week 6 last blog for semester 2-Barbara Kruger


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.


Throughout her career she's used many different mediums varying from beads(simple arts and crafts) to photography. As her career progressed, so did her art. She refined her way of creating art until she found a style that suited her (black and white photo with red. white ban and black/white text). To me Kruger reminds me of Banksy in a way. With both of them having similar meanings in their work, both of the artists are very powerful within their statements. This work kind of reminds me of today’s society, our education system. What makes you think our education system is solid? For we know it could be a sinister plot for world domination for our corrupt leader? < Conspiracy! Lol!




Thought it is a 3d work, you still see the influence of her posters present: the black and white photo and the red back and white coloured texts. The fact that it is a chess set makes this piece interesting. It reminds me of war, struggle against social norms and oppression. The image of the child screaming only assures my opinion even more, with her face being the expression of pain! < Am I even making sense?

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?
For everyone, you get a different answer. For me, the space and the level of interaction with the piece is what separates installation to poster art (which is probably what everyone else experiences> T^T
What elements does Kruger use in her work to create a strong impact?

BIG BOLD LETTERING!
The colours as well complement each other and allow for clear reading. The subjects in her work seem very minimal, so you’re not bombarded with visual information and unusual imagery (e.g. girl screaming, someone pricking their finger, George Bush…etc)

Comment on the development of her work over the last 30 years.

Kruger is very consistent in her approach to art-making. She’s kept true to the monotone colour scheme like style with her posters. Even with her installations and audio works, you cannot escape her unique method. Personally I enjoy Kruger’s work and am thoroughly impressed with her uniformity.

Comment on the examples that you find on other students blogs.

I can relate to Amy’s choice by Kruger of the American flag with text replacing the stars and stripes. It makes me angry, it reminds me of how little I am in society. It’s annoying because it reminds me of what I can’t do and that at the end of the day someone bigger and better than me will/could hold me down because he or she can, is depressing… but that’s just my opinion.

Week 5 - Kehinde Wiley

Last weeks ALVC class focused on the Post Modern them "INTERTEXTUALITY", re-read Extract 1 The death of the author on page 44 of your ALVC books and respond to the oil paintings of Kehinde Wiley. How do we make sense of his Kehinde's work? Identify intertextuality in Kehinde's work?

Wiley's mimetic powers are amazing. He's works consist of traditional and contemporary subjects (e.g. victorian style of prints, the modern african american man). Most of his works are in portrait form, from being just random people on the streets of Harlem to people all over the world. Wiley's paintings are extremely beautiful, usually focusing on one or two subjects present his work. It reminds me of the renaissance types of paintings, maybe he drew some of his inspiration from that and also foregin textiles with a lot of Victorian influences. Also popular culture (e.g. the mary-go-round? > I think that’s what it is…, social groups/signs etc).


Kehinde's work relates to this weeks Post Modern theme "PLURALISM" re-read page 50 and discuss how the work relates to this theme?

Ah yes! Pluralism means the equality of artists regardless of age, race, religion etc. I can see how Wiley's work relates to Pluralism because he’s pieces contain something other than what is ‘expected’ of this type of painting style. This style is a very mimetic form of painting found in the renaissance, and all the paintings produced in that era were of white rich men and their belongings. However in Wiley’s work, his subjects are diverse while still keeping to the traditional painting style. Wiley changes our perception of stereotypes and challenges the viewer to accept the idea of the ‘other’ rather than just accepting what you find in ‘the box’ – so to say.