top of page
Barbara Kruger
"You Are Not Yourself" depicts a woman examining herself in a mirror that has presumably been struck and shattered by a bullet; the text "You are not yourself" appears on the photograph, surrounding the image of the woman.
Kruger uses bold graphic techniques to jar the woman in the mirror as well as the viewer, delivering a wake-up call from the messages delivered by society. The small size of the word “not” indicates that society attempts to trick women into believing “You Are Yourself,” in other words, that individuals are responsible for their own positions in life.
However, You Are Not Yourself
illustrates that “woman” is made up of shattered parts, various roles and expectations forced upon her by society.
Barbara Kruger,
You are not Yourself, 1981
Overall, I really enjoy Barbara Kruger especially this one, this image inspired from her real life experiences.Woman are held too many standards and force to adopt conflicting roles only to become an amalgamation of other's expectations and assumptions the text resembles crudely cut and pasted letters that create a jarring tone and echo the theme of breaking. Some critics interpret the image as a call for viewers to consider their own subjectivity and evaluate the societal messages that they may be receiving.People should stop judging and criticizin over woman physical appearance and especially there perspectives. We have our own rights to defines, to express, and to experience the same way just like all man can. Give us all the rights that we should have, don't treat us like we don't deserve to be equally as man.
A mirror should reveal a true and whole representation of oneself, but this mirror is fragmented, distorting the image of the woman. She picks up one shard and examines it, seeming unable to recognize her own reflection. The parts do not fit together into a whole; woman cannot be all that society expects her to be.
The construct of “woman” is an identity that alienates the person from the internal power and abilities of the self. Society constructs a woman’s identity, building a glass prison from which she cannot escape.
post on Dec 11 2012
https://whatwhywoman.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/barbara-krugers-you-are-not-yourself/
bottom of page