Having studied
photography long after Barbara Kruger's
impact and
style had been
assimilated both into
graphic design and
popular consciousness in general, her work never had all that much
effect on me. I found it
gimicky,
simplistic, and thought it was definitely
preaching to the converted.
That was, until today...
Hurrying down Park Avenue on my lunch break after meeting with a good friend I rush past your typical Park Avenue boutique only to be forced to double take, walk back a few paces, and stare. There, directly in front of my eyes, is one of Barbara Kruger's most recognizable prints - "I Shop, Therefore I Am" (see above for Kit Lo's description) - plastered onto (of all things) the side of a hip canvas shopping bag.
This is a joke, right?
This is not a joke. This bag retails for $88. This bag is going to be carried about proudly by some fool who lives on Central Park South and only shops at the finest of locales and has no idea who Barbara Kruger is or what she stands for.
The Irony Is Delicious