She turned advertising against itself
Key Movements
Conceptual Art, Contemporary Art, Feminist Art, PostmodernismA quick note
Barbara Kruger (born 1945, Newark) is an American conceptual artist known for bold text over black-and-white images.
American conceptual artist whose combinations of image and text examine power, gender, consumerism and identity. Her background in graphic design and publishing became central to her visual language. She appropriates the authority of advertising to challenge its own messages.
Did you know?
In her life in New York while working as a picture editor and attending poetry readings, Barbara Kruger was once introduced to the stage by Patti Smith during the early 1970s creative scene in Manhattan.
Why are they important?
Kruger changed the visual language of political and feminist art by appropriating the mechanisms of mass communication and turning the viewer into part of the message.
Barbara Kruger
- Born
- Nationality
- American
Artlovers Tip
Don’t just read Kruger’s words — notice where they’re placed and who they seem to address. Her work becomes sharper when you realise that you, the viewer, are often part of the message.