Focussing on conceptual art and the work of Victor Burgin, consider the potential legacy of the movement and artist on the work of Barbara Kruger.

Kruger in 1988: “I don’t think about conceptual art, I prefer effectivity to sadly deluded romanticism.” (Godfrey)

She would disagree with Burgin’s retreat from the street. (Godfrey, Conceptual Art)

Kruger and Burgin both encourage the viewer to think critically about:

photography

advertising and

meaning constructed with image and text.

They both agree that photography does not relate to the ‘real’ or realism.

Kruger’s is more politicised, Burgin’s is more theoretical – one more direct, the other nuanced

Where she wants to “destroy” the “seamless” continuity between image and text, Burgin wanted to expose how they work together and in doing so invoke questioning.

Burgin also more invested in the pursuit of conceptual theory – to an effective dead end to which Kruger appears to have reacted

There’s a bridging point from Burgin’s late ’70s work (Possession, UK76) to Kruger’s

Points of difference:

Audience

Context – E.g. billboard v. gallery

Lei Feng, 1973-4