Barbara Krueger
Self Potraits
 Name: Barbara Krueger
 Place of birth and date : Newark, New Jersey, in 1945.
 Death Date: She is alive, currently living in Los Angeles
and New York city.
 Period of art: Her career picked off in her mid 20’s after
college. studying art and design at Syacuse University, the
school of visual arts. Throughout the years when working
with magazines after graduating college, she was promoted as
graphic designer and art director of mademoiselle magazine.
Therefore; her career picked off in her mid 20’s after college.
 Art style: American conceptual/pop artist
Barbara Krueger is a American conceptual/pop artist.
What is pop art?
Pop art employs aspects of mass culture, such as advertising comic books and
everyday cultural objects. It is widely interpreted as a reaction to the thendominant ideas of abstract expressionism, as well as an expansion upon
them; And due to its utilization of found objects and images it is similar
to Dada. Pop art is aimed to employ images of popular as opposed to superior
culture in art, emphasizing the common or tasteless elements of any given
culture, most often through the use of irony It is also associated with the artists'
use of mechanical means of reproduction or rendering techniques.
What is conceptual art?
Art in which the idea presented by the artist is considered
more important than the finished product, if any exists.
Both of these portraits are of Barbara Kruger. The first picture is expressing happiness, and through
the vibrant colors, and repetition of pictures is showing a fun, modern side. As for the second
picture, it is a two sided poster of herself, as usual, this picture is in black and white, with the usual
red caption. Many of her portraits have a caption, as associated with pop art and conceptual art,
there is an ironic caption. The first picture, is showing happiness , this is expressed through colors,
and as for the second picture, she is showing truth, honesty, and the deceitful side of art. As for the
personal circumstances this is hard to observe, but through the art work you observe the
circumstances of opinion and observation and dealing with the negative side of society.
This is a self portrait of a women in her mid 20’s.
This photo is addressing the issue of our figures,
and the way people see our body’s in modern
societies.
Colors, these colors: gray, black, white and red are
normal for Barbara’s work, as they add that point of
expressionisms in Barbara’s work.
These colors make the picture subtle, but it caught
ones eye, due to it not being like regular modern
pictures/photographs.
Lines are used in the picture for the caption,
structure of the face and splitting of the face to add
a two faced affect. Lines used both horizontally and
vertically. Which changes ones point of view of the
picture, due to the fact that your looking at two
different perspectives.
The shapes in this pictures, are of course the
pictures we associate of the face. Eyes, mouth,,
ears and of course the frame. As for the texture, of
this piece, it is hard for me to find any physical
qualities due to this picture being very visual.
What different elements are used throughout the
portrait?
 Variety: lines, shapes and colors are used repetitively in this
art piece, and all art pieces of Barbara Krueger. They are used
when captions are made, faces are outlined and objects are
defined. The shapes in this are brought out through
brightness/contrast. Red, gray, black and white are used in
all paintings, to emphasize the intensity of the message
coming across throughout the photos.
 Rhythm: Lines, shapes and colors are repeated throughout
this art work, this gives a stronger visual affect.
I want people to be drawn into the space of
the work. And a lot of people are like me in
that they have relatively short attention
spans. So I shoot for the window of
opportunity.
I'm trying to deal
with ideas about
histories, fame,
hearsay, and how
public identities are
constructed.
Direct address has been a consistent tactic in
my work, regardless of the medium that I'm
working in.
Opinions on Barbara Krueger
 Before, this art project, I had never heard of Barbara Krueger. I have been exposed to the
art style of pop art, because we have discussed and researched Andy Warhol.
 Although, Barbara Krueger’s art style is mainly focused around pop art, It is very
different, to what you may expect (and what I expected) pop art to look like.
 When I first saw pop art, there were bright colors. With Barbara’s work, she used gray ,
black, white and red. This was a different art perspective for me to see, due to me
associating pop art with vibrant colors. What also caught me by surprise, was that she had
captions not only for her other self portraits, but for one of her own. I love the fact that
Barbara always shares a perspective with her work, and it always makes me think more
deeply, about the subject she is embracing, and questioning and somewhat mocking.
 I love Barbara Krueger’s work, not only because of the research I have done on her, but
because all of her art work has a profound meaning, and when seeing her work you can
observe she has put a lot of though, and process in her works, and she is trying to reach
out to the audience. Sometimes, with artist, I have a hard time understanding their works,
and what I see is blank. With Barbara Krueger, I understand he pictures, and they change
not only my opinions, but my outlook on different art medias.
Conclusion
Barbara Krueger, is a very opinionated artist, Her opinions,
questions and demands are constantly shown throughout her
work. With each artwork, are the same colors, and this gives a
repetitive outlook on her artwork.
Art elements, constantly used in her work are variety and rhythm.
Without these elements, there would be no work, due to it being
that her work is made out of lines, colors and different shapes and
sizes that make up her essential piece.
Barbara Krueger seems to be curious and somewhat disgusted with
modern societies rituals, leaders and celebrities, due to the
pictures/objects advertised throughout her work.
She brings up controversial topics ; this makes you question her
work, and your beliefs, in what’s wrong and normal.
Resources
 http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/barbara_
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kruger.html
http://www.rogallery.com/Kruger_Barbara/krugerbiography.html
http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/biography.aspx?se
archtype=BIO&artist=87717
http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/barbara-kruger
http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/feminist/Bar
bara-Kruger.html