Barbara Kruger

From dropping out of art school to being copied by Supreme, Barbara Kruger is the queen of NYC cool.

Recognise this iconic design? Bold Futura font on a fire engine red setting.

Barbara Kruger was born in 1945, she dropped out of art school at 19 and started working as a graphic designer at Condé Nast. The cut and paste style she learned there followed her into a career as a visual artist – and earned her a few admirers. 

Red and gold block colours, reading "If you're so successful, why do you feel like a fake?"

Untitled (If you're so successful, why do you feel like a fake?), 1987

Supreme caught Barbara’s attention after suing another brand for copyright infringement. Barbara responded by calling them “a ridiculous clusterfuck of totally uncool jokers.” She sees intellectual property as an extension of the consumerist culture that her own work satirises. 

For us in 1981, 83 showing your work was about being part of the discourse… I thought well if my work is developing this commodity status I had to address it.

Barbara’s radical statements on consumerism, patriarchy, and violence are evergreen. Her advice  – “don’t believe hype…that kind of delusion can injure us psychically and dampen our work.”

Image of woman in black and white with block text in red and white "Your Body is a Battleground"

Untitled (Your Body is a Battleground), 1989

Photo of crown with block text in black and white reading "You are a very special person"

Untitled (You are a very special person), 1995

Black and white photo of men in suits physically fighting with black, red and white text over reading "You construct intricate rituals which allow you to touch the skin of other men"

Untitled (You construct intricate rituals which allow you to touch the skin of other men), 1981


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