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Politics of the gaze: Barbara Kruger

Published: 17 Mar. 2025, 00:04

Lee Joon

The author, former deputy director of Leeum Museum of Art, is an art critic.

We rely on our eyes more than any other sense when making judgments. It is easy to assume that vision — both seeing and reading — is central to belief in terms of brain development and cognitive function. However, as technological advancements in media blur the lines between reality and fiction, we are increasingly aware that what we see and read is no longer entirely objective or neutral. Beyond legacy media, the rise of social media has led to experiences where truth is distorted to serve various interests and collective benefits. Marshall McLuhan long ago argued that media — whether newspapers, television, journalism or advertising — are not merely tools for conveying information but instruments that reshape human perception and thought.

One artist who achieved remarkable artistic success by utilizing advertising techniques from mass media is Barbara Kruger (1945-). “Thoughts without content are empty, and intuitions without concepts are blind.” This quote from Immanuel Kant frequently comes to mind when appreciating and critiquing art. Although a conceptual artist, Kruger masterfully balances form and content, ensuring her work remains highly intuitive. Having studied art and design in college and worked as a graphic designer and editor for magazines, she understood how journalism and advertising captivated audiences.

Kruger, possessing a sharp linguistic sensibility, transitioned into fine art and drew attention with her distinctive style of merging photographic imagery (seeing) and text (reading) to engage in critical social discourse. She reinterpreted Descartes' proposition, “I think, therefore I am,” as “I shop, therefore I am” (1980) and created striking works such as “Your body is a battleground” (1990) and “Who owns what?” (2012), combining bold slogans with black-and-white photography. She critiqued patriarchal biases from a feminist perspective and examined themes of consumerism, desire, gender, class, surveillance, and power structures operating within social norms through what she termed the “politics of the gaze.”

Kruger’s 1997 work, “Untitled,” merits renewed contemplation in these uncertain times. It features a black-and-white photograph of a woman tilting her head back to administer eye drops, overlaid with bold typography stating, “The future belongs to those who can see it.” The act of instilling eye drops and the accompanying text invite diverse interpretations. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” suggesting that the future is shaped by those who dream and aspire.

"Untitled (The future belongs to those who can see it.)", ⓒBarbara Kruger.

However, Kruger’s work introduces an intriguing paradox. “Seeing” is not merely a physiological act; its meaning shifts depending on how it is understood and interpreted. The act of applying eye drops suggests an artificial enhancement or correction of vision, alluding to the ambiguous boundary between nature and imitation, truth and falsehood. The hand administering the drops remains ambiguous — is it her own or someone else's? The woman's gaze also appears constrained rather than autonomous. The fragmented and cascading words evoke questions about whether her approach to the future is self-directed or externally influenced.

For Kruger, who has consistently critiqued media illusions and power structures, the question of the future is not merely about who dreams but who defines it. In 2016, she was commissioned to create a cover for New York Magazine, where she superimposed the word “LOSER” in bold capital letters over a portrait of U.S. President Donald Trump. This was an ironic appropriation of Trump's own rhetoric, which he frequently used to insult and discredit opponents. Kruger’s artistic intervention was not merely a personal attack on Trump, but also a broad critique of his values and behavior as well as the media spectacle surrounding his campaign.

Amid Trump’s re-election, volatile global affairs, and the political turmoil in Korea following the declaration of martial law, we must ask: Where is our future headed? “The future belongs to those who can see it.” This message extends beyond borrowed imagery or a catchy phrase. The future remains open, but its shape depends on the engagement and attitudes of those who participate in shaping it. The formation of the future is not solely in the hands of individuals with vision and insight but also dictated by who wields influence and defines its trajectory. Kruger’s perspective on the future compels us to reexamine the unseen forces and power dynamics that govern our world.

Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.