14 March, 2011

Week 2- Barbara Kruger & Mercantillism

Barbara Kruger's Art and Design
A:The film named "Cinefile: Reel Women".
(Interviews with women directors working in Hollywood and Europe today, exploring the opportunities and obstacles that face them. Program made to accompany a Channel 4 season of films directed and produced by women)
I shop therefore I am (1987) Barbara Kruger
Face It (Green) 2007 Barbara Kruger


Barbara Kruger has been described as a feminist, conceptual and a pop artist.
Her work reflects her interest in graphic design, photography, poetry and writing.

Research Kruger's work in order to answer the following questions;

1. Describe the 'style' that Kruger has used in the two presented works.
 
A:The two works engages the merging of found photographs from existing sources with pithy and aggressive text that involves the viewer in the struggle for power and control that her captions speak to. She use the white letters against a slash of red background.
2. What are some of the concepts and messages that Kruger is communicating in them?
 
A: Much of her text questions the viewer about feminism , consumerism , and individual autonomy and desire, although her black-and-white images are culled from the mainstream magazines that sell the very ideas she is disputing.
 
3. Do these images communicate these ideas effectively? Explain your answer.
 
A:Yes. She use the contrast colors to emphasize what she want to say, and also the meaning of the text in the photo is clear.
 
4. Define the concept of Mercantillism and explain how these two examples can connect with the concept.
 
A:consumerism. The text "I shop therefor I am" means that she takes the sentence  to a materialistic level ( a person is defined not by what they think, but what they own (through shopping) . The second photo "Face it!" strongly against the tiny little words "This luxurious garment won't make you rich or beautiful".
5. Upload a more recent example of Kruger's work where she has used a new medium, that is not graphic design. Title your image of the chosen work and comment on your response to the work. How do you think the audience would experience this work?