Gender can be defined as the range of characteristics associated with masculinity and or femininity. The graphic artist Barbara Kruger’s work challenges the segregation between gender. The piece is an image of a child and mother. The child Is flexing their arm whilst the mother points in astonishment. Across the picture reads ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’, cut into a red coloured block. Reminiscent of the ‘We Can Do It’ propaganda art by J. Howard, the piece questions both gender and power within society.[2] It revokes the damsel in distress narrative that has captivated the older generations, portrayed by the mother in this image, whilst the child looks in disgust and confusion, representing the younger generation.
Another thing worth noting is the child’s gender is unidentifiable. Gender is a social construct and the parody artwork clearly defines this. It questions the stereotypes and set roles for men and women in society; for example, if the child was a young boy, is the image portraying him being pressured into the hero stereotype, and automatically assuming he has more power than women, fitting them into the weaker race. The black and white depicts the traditional gender values and roles of society, whilst the red challenges this representing modern views of gender roles. [1]
- d. Barbara Kruger. [online] Available at: <https://emmascasestudy.weebly.com/barbara-kruger.html> [Accessed 23 February 2021].
- Rubin, A., n.d. We Don’t Need Another Hero by Barbara Kruger | An Art Chronicle. [online] An Art Chronicle. Available at: <https://www.amrubin.it/barbara-kruger-we-dont-need-another-hero/> [Accessed 23 February 2021].