40 years later, Barbara Kruger continues to skewer the American experience
Barbara Kruger’s exhibit, currently running at David Zwirner‘s Westside gallery through August 12th, “powerfully and directly engages with viewers through her distinctive visual language, utilizing images, text, and technology as tools of communication to reveal and question established power structures and social constructs.”*
This exhibit marks Kruger’s first representation since her 2019 exhibit showcasing her most punctuated and celebrated pieces, including, Untitled “I shop therefore I am,” 1987/2019, and the ever so timely Untitled “Your body is a battleground” 1989/2019.
Barbara Kruger emerged as one of America's most uncompromising artists more than four decades ago.
In those years, the face of the country, the media landscape, and the brute force of materialism have exploded beyond recognition, and her pieces have never been more relevant.
Whether they like it or not, all Americans (and beyond) have crafted a personal brand driven by the current state of social media and our commodity-obsessed society. There are no longer those who participate and those who spectate, everyone’s playing the game.
The real divide now is between those who can reconcile their place in this consumptive society and those who remain ignorant to outside influences.
“Through her distinctive visual language, the artworks question the viewer about consumerism, power, gender equality, role models, and political issues. Inspired by twenty-first-century trends and clichés, Kruger’s artworks are defined by provocative statements that seek truth, power, and doubt.” **
Hurry and go check out the legendary exhibit while it’s still running. Let your emotions run wild, sit with them, get angry, ponder your place in these pieces, and smile at the absurdity of it all.