Barbara Kruger, I Shop Therefore I Am

Barbara Kruger, I Shop Therefore I Am

Barbara Kruger’s I Shop Therefore I Am is an iconic artwork that merges text and image to critique the pervasive influence of consumerism on personal identity. By printing her bold, red and black graphics onto an ordinary paper shopping bag, this limited edition overlays the phrase onto an image of an outstretched hand, transforming the famous philosophical assertion into a commentary on materialism. Through this powerful juxtaposition, Kruger challenges viewers to question the ways in which shopping and consumption shape modern notions of existence and self-worth.

Barbara Kruger, born in 1945 in Newark, New Jersey, is a prominent American conceptual artist known for her influential work spanning photography, graphic design, and feminist activism. Kruger’s artwork is characterized by its innovative use of found photographs combined with bold typography and sharp critiques of power dynamics and social inequality. Her distinctive method involves superimposing text on images, often as biting, satirical captions or slogans, which challenge viewers to question societal norms and the cultural and political forces that influence our perceptions. As a key figure in the Pictures Generation, Barbara Kruger shares an interest in vernacular photography with contemporaries like Cindy Sherman, Robert Longo and Richard Prince, further enriching her exploration of mass-media culture through her powerful visual and textual narratives. In her iconic work Your Body is a Battleground (1989), Kruger employs powerful imagery alongside provocative text to address the commodification and objectification of women’s bodies in a patriarchal society. This piece, like much of her artwork, leverages art as a tool for political activism, advocating for social justice and pushing for a more equitable and inclusive world. Kruger’s contributions to conceptual art have not only made a deep impact on the art world but have also inspired a new generation of artists who use photography, text, and design to address critical political and cultural issues. Her prints and editions, celebrated for their compelling aesthetics and profound messages, offer an accessible alternative to her larger, unique works. Barbara Kruger’s artworks have been featured in numerous exhibitions and retrospectives globally, including major solo shows at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles and the The Art Institute of Chicago.