Barbara Kruger
Oct 2023
In early October I was in the Denver Museum. While there I saw Barbara Kruger's work "Untitled (It's our pleasure to disgust you)". The work is quite moving and powerful. Subconsciously, I'm sure I was channeling Barbara as I worked on my project. Like Barbara Kruger, I combine my own photographs with bold, thought-provoking text. The text I source is from Myanmar resistance fighters, capturing their personal journey from peaceful citizens to active participants in the resistance. These declarative statements are distilled from their full, heart-wrenching writings.
The text is use is often direct, concise, and provocative. The use of lowercase conveys the intimate quality of internal thoughts. It's as if these thoughts are unfiltered emotions rather than carefully crafted statements. These statements challenge viewers to think critically about the world around them, which they do not see.
My work is meant to transcend any particular conflict but to comment on all conflicts around the world. We often forget that the human condition, culture, and politics are more similar than different.
iPhone photo of display at Denver Art museum.
