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Introduction to "Consumption"By Barbara Kruger with John McEnroe
Consumption begins with an original work created by artist Barbara Kruger. Hosted by tennis star and sports commentator John McEnroe, the humorously frenetic video explores the ways in which people consume things in their daily lives, from food to money to sex.
Throughout the video, Kruger’s trademark phrases in red and white demand the attention and obedience of the viewer. Proclaiming “Love art, Buy art, Sell art,” and “Feed me, Love me, Buy me, Sell me”, Kruger’s text addresses the viewer in much the same way advertisers sway a consumer to buy a product.
More informationClosed captionsAvailable in English, German, Romanian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Italian
Through the Art21 Translation Project, multilingual audiences from around the globe can contribute translations, making Art21 films more accessible worldwide.
Interested in showing this film in an exhibition or public screening? To license this video please visit Licensing & Reproduction.
Barbara Kruger was born in 1945 in Newark, New Jersey, and currently lives in New York and Los Angeles. She attended Syracuse University’s School of Visual Arts in 1964 and studied art and design at Parsons School of Design in New York in 1965. Kruger began her career as a graphic designer and picture editor at Conde Nast Publications, an experience that greatly impacted her artistic practice. Using the visual tropes, language, and design aesthetics of commercial advertising and magazines, the artist creates images and installations that reflect and critique the ways in which mass-media culture influences our beliefs at a societal and individual level.
Artwork Survey: 1990s
