Barbara Kruger & Mercantillism

   

1. Describe the 'style' that Kruger has used in the two presented works.

Attractive,graphic work with retro looked.Thus producing a series of black-and-white details of architectural exteriors paired with her own textual ruminations on the lives of those living inside.The phrases usually make a bold statement and commonly use pronouns such as you, I, your, we and they.Usually her style involves the cropping of a magazine or newspaper image enlarged in black and white.

2. What are some of the concepts and messages that Kruger is communicating in them?

Kruger's work tries not to deceive us into believing we have a need to fulfill, but to allow us to discover the deception of signs.As far as a classification of her medium, Kruger is considered a montage artist.She layers 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.

3. Do these images communicate these ideas effectively? Explain your answer.

Yes ,Barbara Kruger takes that sentence to a materialistic level - in other words, a person is defined not by what they think, but what they own (through shopping).The enlargement of the image is done as crudely as possible to monumental proportions. A message is stenciled on the image, usually in white letters against a background of red. The text and image are unrelated in an effort to create anxiety by the audience that plays on the fears of society.

4. Define the concept of Mercantillism and explain how these two examples can connect with the concept.

I think that pictures and words have the power to make us rich or poor. I try to engage that power using methods that are both seductive and critical.Mercantilism, economic policy prevailing in Europe during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, under which governmental control was exercised over industry and trade in accordance with the theory that national strength is increased by a preponderance of exports over imports. Mercantilism was characterized not so much by a consistent or formal doctrine as by a set of generally held beliefs. This stunning ensemble says you re not who you think you are;" and "This fantastic outfit is really ridiculously overpriced." Kruger criticizes images of women that are constructed by the predominantly male media and that help to shape the way women see themselves.

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?

                                                          Barbara Kruger
                                                              Untitled
                                                (We don't need another hero)
                                                             90" by 117"
                                                 photographic silkscreen/vinyl
                                                                 1987

  This work superimposes a bold strip of red background and white text stating “We Don’t Need Another Hero” on top of an image of a young girl and boy. The girl is leaning over the boy’s shoulder, pointing to his budding musculature. While her pose may have initially be read as predatory and powerful, in fact the girl is wholly submitting to the masculinity of the boy. One could argue that masculinity in this picture is not only on display but that it is at the same time being performed, in that it conforms to the socially esteemed patterns of masculine behavior. This performance of gender provides the male agency, and inscribes submission into the female. Her awe of his male abilities carries a deeper and more raw eroticization of the phallus as the locus of social power.

I shop therefore I am (1987) Barbara Kruger

Face It (Green) 2007 Barbara Kruger

Western Perspective

Visual Practitioners are different in terms of communication in a way that they don't have to communicate through words like other careers because in this filed ,object and practical stuff are very important .Therefore what they are showing through drawing is like reflections of thier eyes,they have to convey the object into words in order to be able to send message through viewers.
For example,a photographer would need to have a good communication with his models and tell them to act the certain ways to get the photograph professionally taken.If say there is a communication break down between the two practioner,the work that is produce will not be as successful as they are hoping it to be.Even taking a photo of a house,there need to be a certian way that the lighting is set,object directed in order to make the property looks good.I believe as designer alone won't be successful without communication.


2.Ideological Principles or sets of governing ideas are things that surrounding me,living with the present like how I manage my money that I have been using each day,perhaps just spend with only what I have and not try to be all materialised and follow the society by what they are having as well.


3.Context is the relevant constraints of the communication situation that influence language use and variation.




Does western visual communication have a strong influence over the visual communication of other cultures?

Yes ,I think western visual communication have strong influence than other culture because in western country ,visual communication have a very strong influence in the the way they thought and they always influence other cultures as western artists are willing to face the outcomes and they arent afraid of the consequences .Especially to young people nowadays ,they are being influenced by the western culture from food to technology.People tend to neglect their own traditional culture.Before we return to the western world and take up the story of art in Europe,we must at least cast a glance at what happened in other parts of the world.It is interesting to see how other culture reacted to the ideas of art.

Are Western ideas the only ideas worth studying?
No think it is worth studying but it is also important to study other culture as well because when you get to know other cultures.Like learning languages would be good ideas for anyone who travels to other country ,but learning the other cultures is another good opportunity.When the two are put together ,it can be very helpful in keeping the peace and truly understanding an exchange of ideas.


Can the study of  Western ideas help us understand other cultures?In what way?

It can help us understand other cultures in a way how drawings are interpreted through the context of the culture.All the culture are different so I dont think that western ideas would be a big part of learning process.As we are living in globalisation world .it is important to learn about other cultures and implement.Learning about culture or art never ends;to me there are always new things to discover.