Analysis of Barbara Kruger

Analysis of Barbara Kruger For this short essay writing I get an example of single contemporary artist Barbara Kruger. Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist. A lot of her effort consists of black and white photographs overlaid with declarative captions-in white-on-red Futura Bold Oblique. The phrases in her works frequently consist of use of pronouns such as you, your, I, we, and they. I begin my essay with the retort how Barbara Kruger be considered illustrative of Baudrillards or Barthes theories. Postmodernism was born out of a response in opposition to the policy of Modernism. Most particularly, Postmodern artists discarded the Modernist obsession with the aesthetic and began by questioning the recognized qualities tied to this aesthetic. As the Postmodern movement progressed, this critique intensified and moved beyond simply formal concerns; artists also began criticizing many underlying notions of Modernism, together with ideas about creativity and authority. Simultaneously, French philosophers Roland Barthes and Jean Baudrillard introduced theories concerning the rising artistic practices of appropriation and simulation. Barthes, in his elaboration on the theory of appropriation, described principles and practices that a lot of artists were employing in their critiques on Modernism. The work of American artist Barbara Kruger gives the most powerful embodimen t of Barthes theories of appropriation. Roland Barthes, in his 1967 essay The Death of the Author, stripped mutually authority and authorship from artists and writers, declaring, A text is not a line of words releasing a single theological meaning (the message of the Author-God), but a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writings, none of them new, blend and collide. This theory not only described the postmodern artistic practices of the time, but it undermined Modernisms lofty goals and claims of creating original artwork. According to Barthes, no author or artist creates something new and unique. Instead, every formed thing is a recycled regurgitation of that which preceded it. As Postmodernism continued to develop, many artists not only acknowledged Barthess denouncement of originality but also embraced it as a means through which to further critique the works and tenets of Modernism. These artists favored the readymade object as more powerful than the supposedly new crafted objects shaped by Modernist artists. By openly acknowledging the process of appropriation that occurs within the manufacture of all art, these artists leveraged the power of pre-existing imagery and signs to produce new works with multiple layers and multiple meanings. Barbara Kruger began her career as a graphic designer and commercial artist for publications and magazines such as Mademoiselle. Her work as a postmodern artist began to garner attention in the early 1980s; about fifteen years later than Barthes published The Death of the Author. Krugers experience in the profitable design world greatly influenced her work both officially and philosophically. She embraced both the imagery and language of advertising, combining black and white photographs with ambiguous but accusatory statements in collage-like presentations. But she concurrently rejected the philosophies of commercial advertising and the majority, by raising questions concerning gender equality, consumerism, and stereotypes. Regarding the state of culture, In Untitled (Your Comfort is My Silence), 1981, Kruger combined a black and white image of a mans head with his index finger over his mouth and two lines of text reading, Your comfort is my silence. The initial two words cover the mans eyes, further eliminating his exact identity and reducing him to a generic symbol of masculine dominance and control. The text is presented in a combination of black text over white rectangles and white text in red rectangles in a cut-and-paste manner. By employing collage to join pre-existing imagery with authoritative statements, Kruger practices the appropriation that Barthes described. Krugers work also assigns an interpretive role to both the viewer and culture at large, as posited by Barthes. By keeping her statements to some extent cryptic or ambiguous, Kruger forces viewers to build meaning from their own earlier experiences, thereby actively participating in the procedure of appropriation. In addition I am going to cover the answers of is it simplistic for an artist to rely heavily on theory, Does good art go beyond theory and Are these original works? While Kruger and other artists who deliberately practice appropriation are most likely aware of Barthess philosophies and statements, it is hard to say how much their work and practice is shaped by such theory. Oftentimes theory seems somewhat reflexive to contemporary practices; critics notice existing artistic trends and then posit theories and extend technical language to describe such practices. As such, one could disagree that artistic practice influences theory just as much as theory influences the practice that follows. Certainly theory plays some role in virtually every piece or work of art, even if the producer or artist is unaware of it. Sometimes, the identical theory can even direct artists in two completely different or opposing directions. Modern theory, for example, called for aesthetic experience and form al purity, and many artists worked to attain the ideal representation of these criteria. Postmodern practice should not be viewed as alike attempt to perfectly render the theories of Postmodernism; rather, it is more perfectly a reaction against the tenets of Modern theory. From my point of view it seems then that theory and practice share a somewhat cyclical relationship. Artists produce new work, and then critics develop theories and language to describe it. Other artists take these newly-formed theories as information for what constitutes art at the time and turn out their art accordingly. After a period of extremely following the most recently canonized theories, other artists consciously operate outside of the dominant theory or refuse it altogether and produce another new type of work. This appears to be a recurring trend in the relationship among art theory and art practice. The work of artists such as Barbara Kruger, poses many essential questions and reiterates those raised by Roland Barthes. Although such artists intentionally employ the process of appropriation in producing their artwork, their works are no less original than that of other artists. Even Modernist painters, who so adamantly strove for originality and uniqueness, operated within the framework and visual language of the preceding millennia of art and history. As Barthes says, The writer [or artist] can only imitate a gesture that is always anterior, not at all original. Possibly this means that, concurrently, not anything is original and everything is original.

Three Day Road: Character Development

The two main characters in the novel â€Å"Three Day Road† by Joseph Boyden; Xavier Bird and Elijah Weesageechack, have many key differences that are illustrated throughout the novel. Xavier is reserved and visceral, while Elijah is self-assured and talkative. Xavier was raised by his Aunt Niska for the Majority of his childhood, opposed to how Elijah was raised in Moose Factory by nuns at a residential school. These factors hold an important responsibility on their personalities and the way that they think and make decisions. The three key differences between them that are paramount to the story and the themes of the novel are; firstly their respect for their Oji-Cree culture, secondly their respect and love for human life, and lastly their personalities. The differences in their personalities create positive chemistry back in their homeland of Canada, but when they are sent to Europe to fight in World War One, their relationship is put to the test. An important difference between Elijah and Xavier is the difference in their respect for their Aboriginal culture. Respecting their Oji-Cree culture is paramount to Xavier, while it is much less important to Elijah. An example of Xavier’s close association with his aboriginal culture can be seen through the following quote, â€Å"All of them stare down at me. I look up, sitting cross-legged with one of the horses sprawled beside me, its head on my lap. I look like I’ve been painted red. The smell of blood is heavy. It covers the wooden walls, the floor, the straw upon the floor. Elijah sees that one of my hands rests on the floor with my skinning knife in it. The horse’s neck gapes open along its big artery. (Page 189) This example shows Xavier’s connection to his aboriginal culture because having respect for animals is a major part of the Oji-Cree morals. In this exact scene Elijah was willing to shoot the horses, which shows a lack of respect for the animal, which goes against the morals of his aboriginal heritage. A second key example of how Xavier and Elijah differ when it comes to their aboriginal culture is seen through Elijah’s willingness to assimilate into European culture. In the novel Elijah states, â€Å"â€Å"Jolly good night for a little snooping, eh, Thompson? Elijah says. Thompson shakes his head at the words, and his teeth are white almost to a glow. â€Å"You do a better British accent than a Brit†, he says. † (Page 137) Elijah’s readiness to develop an English accent is in stark contrast to the fact that Xavier refuses to assimilate into the European culture. The third example of how Xavier and Elijah are different in the way they treat their aboriginal heritage is seen when the two of them are on their way to Toronto and they sell their canoe to get some extra money so they can afford new clothes. These new clothes are a necessity because they need to blend into their new environment to a certain extent. The following quote depicts the moment perfectly, â€Å"â€Å"When Elijah strolls out, I laugh. He has chosen a black suit and stiff, high white collar. In the mirror he looks like a preacher. This appeals to Elijah† (Page 142). In the scene, it is obvious that Xavier purchases his clothing out of necessity, while Elijah purchases his new clothes because it is appealing to assimilate into the new Canadian culture they are about to be immersed within. The most important part of the quote is the final sentence, which states, â€Å"This appeals to Elijah†. The fact that it appeals to him proves that he has interest in being assimilated into the Canadian society. Through the example presented it is blatant to see that Xavier has respect for his Oji-Cree culture, while Elijah has a lack of respect for it. A second example of how Elijah and Xavier differ is seen through their different views of brutality and respect towards other people’s lives. Xavier has a lot of respect for humans and their lives and due to this he kills out of necessity. On the other hand, Elijah enjoy killing humans and does it for the sake of sport. A perfect example of how Xavier and Elijah differ in regards to the respect of human lives is seen in the subsequent quote, â€Å"I jump to my feet before I know that I do it and approach Elijah with balled fists. Then I find myself reaching for my knife. But what he said makes me gag and I kneel down and stick my finger down my throat. The contents of my stomach come out in a slimy glob†. Page 310) This example highlights the fact that Xavier isn’t even willing to joke about eating German citizens, while Elijah doesn’t only find it funny he can’t understand why Xavier would take it so incredibly seriously. Elijah’s lack of respect for the people he kills shows a vicious brutality that is not seen in Xavier Bird. A second example of how Xavier and Elijah’s personali ties contrast can be seen through Elijah’s thirst to kill people. Elijah’s obsession over carnage can be highlighted in the following excerpt, â€Å"In the long hours of hunting Elijah tries to understand what is growing on him. He talks to me about this through the nights we spend out in the damp and mud. Mist rises from craters and swirls in the stink. In the end, the answer that comes is simple. Elijah has learned to take pleasure in killing† (Page 283). This quote is an incredible example of Elijah’s brutality because it is not only seen through his actions, but also his thought process. It proves that Elijah is not just killing for necessity he has actually gone mad. This highlights the difference between the two characters because Xavier strictly kills so he can survive through the war. The final exemplar in regards to Brutality and respect for human life can be emphasized by the connection that the two main characters have with their comrades. The following quote accentuates this fact, â€Å"He opens his eyes and looks up at Elijah. Elijah raises the wood in both hands and swings it down hard as he can onto Grey Eyes’ forehead† (Page 340). This exemplar distinctly shows the variance in Elijah’s connection with his comrades in comparison to Xavier relationship with his comrades. Xavier doesn’t have the ability to speak as well as Elijah, but he has a much stronger emotional connection with the people he fights with. When looking at Elijah, it undisguised that he doesn’t have a strong emotional connection with any of his comrades and if there is connection at all it is strictly to use them. Elijah’s closest friend in the war other than Xavier was Grey Eyes and he was willing to kill him so he could get away with the crimes he had committed. In conclusion, Xavier puts his comrades and the people he is fighting against in high regard and has a serious respect for them, while Elijah just wants to eliminate every problem that confronts him; he doesn’t care how he does it. The third and final example between the two characters that has a major effect on the story and the key themes of the novel are their personalities. As stated in the opening paragraph, Xavier is reserved and visceral, while Elijah is self-assured and talkative. Xavier was raised by his Aunt Niska for the Majority of his childhood, opposed to how Elijah was raised in Moose Factory by nuns at a residential school. These differences in upbringing play a distinct role in how the two of them make decisions, and how closely they hold onto their aboriginal culture. It is clear that the chemistry of their friendship works in the setting of the Northern Ontario woods, but it fails to follow through when they fight in World War One. An example of a difference between the two characters is seen in the way that Xavier is much more a quiet character, he doesn’t have much to say because his English isn’t very strong. A subtle yet important example of this is seen in the ensuing quotation, â€Å"†So you’re an Indian, then? † he asks. I nod. â€Å"You’re pretty short for an Indian, ain’t ya? The others laugh. † (Page 23) Xavier’s trouble with the English language is highlighted in the excerpt because all he does is nod. This makes life in Europe incredibly awkward for Xavier. This is in blatant contradistinction to Elijah because he thrives in this type of situation. Elijah’s verbose nature can be examined in the following passage, â€Å"He began talking this way to get the others to laugh, but he likes it now. Makes him feel respectable. He told me there’s a magic in it that protects him. (Page 137) Elijah’s ability to speak English fluently and to adapt the way he talks so that he has an English accent makes him much more popular with their comrades. Elijah’s upbringing has an effect on his appeal for European culture because instead of being brought up in the wilderness he is brought up in a residential school by nuns. Giving him a much different outlook on their culture than Xavier. The final example of how Elijah and Xavier differ in terms of personality is seen best in the following passage, â€Å"â€Å"I wish I could fly like that,† Elijah says to me in Cree. I wish I could fly like that, like a bird,† he repeats, staring up like a little boy. â€Å"Maybe a pilot will take me up sometime. † â€Å"Me, I’m happy to stay on the ground on my belly in the dirt,† I answer. â€Å"Thinking about falling from up there makes me sick†Ã¢â‚¬  (Page 164). This passage highlights the difference between their adventurousness. Elijah’s willingness to go up in a plane can be correlated with his courageousness in battle. Xavier’s contentment with being on the ground can be correlated with his timid nature socially and on the battlefield to a certain extent. This quotation proves that Elijah has a much more adventurous personality than Xavier. In cessation, Elijah and Xavier are incredibly different people with personalities that are nearly opposites and this ends up having an extreme effect on the plot and the themes of the story â€Å"Three Day Road†. In conclusion, the two main characters in the novel â€Å"Three Day Road† by Joseph Boyden; Xavier Bird and Elijah Weesageechack, have many significant differences that are illustrated over the course of the novel. As shown with the supporting points above, Xavier is reserved and visceral, while Elijah is self-assured and talkative. Xavier was raised by his Aunt Niska for the majority of his childhood, opposed to how Elijah was raised in Moose Factory by nuns in a residential school. These factors that affect their personalities have major impacts on the three main differences that lie between them. These differences are, firstly their respect for their Oji-Cree culture, secondly their appreciation and love for human life, and lastly how they carry themselves throughout the novel. The differences between them have a positive influence on their relationship when they are in Canada, but in Europe, these differences end up destroying their friendship.

Potential For Renewable Energy Generation - 1515 Words

Potential for Renewable Energy Generation: Edgecomb, ME is surrounded by many sparsely populated towns, this factor along with it’s location at the delta of both the Sheepscot and Damariscotta rivers leads to a high potential for utilizing renewable energy. Such conditions allow for potentially using many different kinds of renewable energy sources: tidal, hydro, biomass, solarvoltaic, wind, and geothermal. While all of these renewable energy sources have potential for use in Edgecomb, there’s a lot of different combinations of renewables that could power Edgecomb as well as the entire Sheepscot and Damariscotta valley. In Maine, just like any other place with the capabilities and potential to take advantage of renewable resources there†¦show more content†¦Mainers are well aware of the asset inherent hydropower to control the flow of energy for optimal use, and generally share a conservative attitude toward industrial shifts, due to historic industrial collaps es of small Maine communities, thus, they would tend to favor hydropower over tidal energy. Maine as a state, the Sheepscot and Damariscotta valleys, and the community of Edgecomb have massive potential for biomass energy production, due to sparsely populated communities and an above average proportion of land use dedicated to agriculture. These conditions would allow for the expansion of biomass production, however Maine does not currently take advantage of biomass energy production on a mass scale; thus, the infrastructure to take advantage of this biomass potential on a mass scale would be a huge cost to incur. 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The Birth Experience.from 2 Points of View Essay - 959 Words

We are all told that though painful, giving birth is one of the most amazing and beautiful experiences that a person can go through. When talking to two women that have given birth you see the differences of the two but you also see similarities. Given the opportunity to talk to two mothers I learned their stories and how things have changed in life from one time that one had given birth to the time the second woman gave birth. Even down to the simplest things there are differences in todays experience of giving birth that make things easier compared to 50 years ago. Two women, two stories, and a little person brought into this world, these sort of conversations are both enlightening and beautiful stories. Barbara Martin, a 72 year old†¦show more content†¦Because it was her first born the labor seemed long, although it only lasted 10 hours she said it â€Å"felt like forever†. It wasn’t until two hours after she gave birth that she finally got to see and hold her newborn baby girl. The second woman I interviewed was Shea-La Baker, a 24 year old caucasian woman. On the day after Thanksgiving 2008, 19 year old Shea-La found out that she was pregnant by missing her period. Though she didn’t take that as her only way of knowing, Shea-La went out and bought 5 at home pregnancy tests, that all confirmed she was indeed pregnant. At first Shea-La was filled with all sorts of emotions from scared, to happy, and from nervous to extremely excited. Being that Shea-La was young she knew this meant a big lifestyle change, she couldn’t go out and party and she was no longer going to be able to drink alcohol. As the first few months went by things went from new and exciting to tragic in an instant. In March 2009, her boyfriend, and father of her baby, was injured and put into a coma due to an ATV accident. Because of this accident Shea-La was filled with worry and stress so she was unable to enjoy being pregnant. After a month her boyfrien d was finally able to come home but still, Shea-La had to take care of him and it took a toll on her pregnancy. After it was Shea-La’s last trimester she was put on bed rest and finally had to stop and think about the health of her and her baby. During her pregnancy