"In violence we forget who we are" - MM's words inspire Barbara Kruger

barbara kruger: between being born and dying

lever house art collection, new york

sep 19 -  nov 21, 2009

between being born and dying is the latest installation from the artist barbara kruger. the piece covers 
all of the lever house's windows, both inside and out, in addition to the floor. kruger creates phrases 
that emote situations, interactions using letters, many as high as seventeen feet.




'I think what i'm trying to do is create moments of recognition. to try to detonate some kind of feeling
or understanding of lived experience. I try to deal with the complexities of power and social life, but as
far as the visual presentation goes I purposely avoid a high degree of difficulty'. 
barbara kruger

following text from richard d. marshall, curator:

'borrowing from mass media's high-volume graphic punch, her black-and-white text questions the 
viewer about power, gender roles, social relationships, political issues, consumerism, and individual 
autonomy and desire. the exterior surfaces announce, 'know nothing, forget everything, believe anything',

'plenty should be enough' and 'in violence we forget who we are' (a quote from mary mccarthy).  
on the interior walls, reading clockwise, she continues with the declarative phrases, 'if it screams, 
shove it, 'if it vomits, starve it'...