Barbara Kruger & Mercantilism

I shop therefore I am (1987) Barbara Kruger

Face It (Green) 2007 Barbara Kruger

Describe the 'style' that Kruger has used in the two presented works.
The presented works are of a conceptual and pop art style (“The Art History Archive “, 2007). The simplicity and bold text in both these works create a very effective contrast which I like to describe as I.Y.F (In your face). This effect has proven useful to the artist as she is renowned for making statements in her works that refer to social, economical and political concerns.



What are some of the concepts and messages that Kruger is communicating in them?
Kruger chooses to work with images and text because she believes they "have the ability to determine who we are and who we aren't" ("Whitney Museum of American Art", 2011). Most commonly, her works communicate ideas of feminism and consumerism. The use of personal pronouns in these works suggest Kruger also explores identity and social status, which draw viewers to connect with the image.



Do these images communicate these ideas effectively?
These thoughtfully composed works consist of the use of personal pronouns to create an association with the viewer and puzzle them as to who and what the image is refering to. There is also a range of symbolism in these images that communicate her ideas. An example of this is the inclusion of the colour red in the text
'I shop therefore I am' which could represent general sale and consumerism, but at the same time it can be interpreted as a negative and convey its self as a warning to living an expensive lifestyle. Another example of symbolism is the overlaying green in Face it! (Green). The colour green could be representational of wealth and money, and the fact that the image has an overlaying of it could have significant relevance to money being an every day essential in our lifestyle. It is money that gave us the clothes we have on our backs, it is money that buys us the food we eat to stay alive, it is money that gives us our shelter and homes and almost everything we do, and it make's us what we are.



Define the concept of Mercantilism and explain how these two examples can connect with the concept. 
Mercantilism is a theory that dominated Western European economic policies from the 16th to the 18th century. It suggested that wealth and power were to be gained by increasing exports and gaining precious metals in return. This export focused economic ideology led to the realization that trade could provide not only state but personal wealth and hence a social class of wealthy merchants emerged as a product of international trade. The Merchants played an important role in the development of renaissance painting,particularly in Italy, as wealthy merchants would often commission artists to paint idealistic portraits of themselves and all their worldly goods.These portraits were designed to act as a symbol of wealth, a record of the Merchants prosperity and power. These two images by Kruger strike a similar chord as they too consider the idea that wealth and power are linked to the possession of worldly goods. The wording in both Kruger's images suggest that what you buy can have relevance to who you are and your social and personal status.

Barbara Kruger

Untitled / Chess Board - 2006 

One of Kruger's most recent works, Untitled / Chess Board, is a sculpture, distancing her self from the usual flat 2D posters she makes. Despite this, I believe it still portrays her distinctive style and concerns for social, economical and political issues. This work may intrigue viewers as they will ask themselves what the purpose is of the dramatic image in the centre of the board as well as why the traditional white chess pieces have been replaced with red chess pieces. Kruger has once again used a black-and-white photographic picture. This one would appear a lot more dramatic however. Like the previously discussed images, this one links with the viewer again through the personal pronouns displayed all around the edges of the board. The phrase "You don't have any choice" placed on the sculpture strongly links with the dramatic image printed on the surface of the board suggesting a sense of distress in the restrictive nature of the text. This would then lead viewers to wonder which chess piece is most representative of their social status. The text could imply that you don't have many options, much like a pawn in a game of chess, therefore possibly directing the viewer to believe we are all just pawns in a wealthy and powerful society.

Reference List:

The Art History Archive (2007). Barbara Kruger
 http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/feminist/Barbara-Kruger.html

Whitney Museum of American Art (2011). Barbara Kruger
http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/1aa/1aa667.htm