Barbara Kruger's 'Who Owns What?' Prods at the Boundary Between Art and Commerce

A short video on the artist who inspired Supreme’s box logo.

American artist Barbara Kruger is known for her black-and-white screen-printed photographs overlaid with provocative sloganeering text in white Futura Bold on a red box — a design adopted and further popularized in street culture by Supreme’s famous box logo. In this video by the Tate Modern, Barbara Kruger’s 2012 artwork ‘Who Own What?’ is on display, sparking discussion on hot topics of our time such as racial and gender stereotypes, sex, religion, power, and the line between art and commerce. Kruger’s work exploits and criticizes the power of mass-media while taking advantage of its communicative capacity. Watch the short educational video above and share your thoughts on the role of branding and contemporary consumerism in the comments below.

Read Full Article

What to Read Next

'1/4 Mile Arc' Was One of 2016's Best Public Art Installations

'1/4 Mile Arc' Was One of 2016's Best Public Art Installations

Phillip K. Smith bridges the gap between humanity and nature.
By /
The Nike Air Presto Ultra Flyknit Gets Twisted Into Emoji-Like Shapes

The Nike Air Presto Ultra Flyknit Gets Twisted Into Emoji-Like Shapes

Illustrations by graphic designer Chris Labrooy.
By /
Miami's Own Marilyn: Getting to Know Marilyn Rondon and Her World of Art
Features

Miami's Own Marilyn: Getting to Know Marilyn Rondon and Her World of Art

‘Caliente Chica’ chats with us about mental health, being apart of Khloe Kardashian’s #goodsquad and more.
Artist Invader Shares ART4SPACE Video Where He Sends His Art to Space

Artist Invader Shares ART4SPACE Video Where He Sends His Art to Space

After conquering the four corners of the earth, the only other way is up.
By /
Banksy's Former Agent on the Artist's Most Notorious and Best-Selling Pieces
Features

Banksy's Former Agent on the Artist's Most Notorious and Best-Selling Pieces

Five key moments from the street-art pioneer’s career.
By /
Here Is an In-Depth Look at Ai Weiwei's "Laundromat" Project on Display in New York

Here Is an In-Depth Look at Ai Weiwei's "Laundromat" Project on Display in New York

A continuation of his ongoing engagement with the global refugee crisis.
By /
Watch VLONE's Art Basel Miami Installation Get Shattered

Watch VLONE's Art Basel Miami Installation Get Shattered

In super slow mo.
By /
Artist Adly Syairi Ramly Reimagines 2016's HYPEBEAST 100 as LEGOs

Artist Adly Syairi Ramly Reimagines 2016's HYPEBEAST 100 as LEGOs

Kanye West, Virgil Abloh, Jerry Lorenzo, Ronnie Fieg and more.
By /
James Lavelle to Exhibit at Lazarides Rathbone For "Daydreaming With UNKLE..."

James Lavelle to Exhibit at Lazarides Rathbone For "Daydreaming With UNKLE..."

A multi-sensory experience for art, music and streetwear fans alike.
By /
COLOR ME COOL's First Adult Coloring Book Is a Who's Who of Today's Cultural Icons

COLOR ME COOL's First Adult Coloring Book Is a Who's Who of Today's Cultural Icons

Featuring everyone from James Jebbia and Hiroshi Fujiwara to Kanye West and Rick Owens.
By /
More ▾
 
We got you covered. Don’t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.

Looks like you’re using an ad-blocker

We charge advertisers instead of our readers. Support us by whitelisting our site.

Whitelist Us

Already whitelisted us? Refresh page

How to Whitelist Us

screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Under “Pause on this site” click “Always”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock Plus icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. “Block ads on – This website” switch off the toggle to turn it from blue to gray.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlocker Ultimate icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Switch off the toggle to turn it from “Enabled on this site” to “Disabled on this site”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the Ghostery icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the “Ad-Blocking” button at the bottom. It will turn gray and the text above will go from “ON” to “OFF”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the UBlock Origin icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the large blue power icon at the top.
  3. When it turns gray, click the refresh icon that has appeared next to it or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser.You’ll usually find this icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You may have more than one ad-blocker installed.
  2. Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site you’re viewing.You may have to select a menu option or click a button.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.