Barbara Kruger (American, born 1945). <em>Untitled (We Are Notifying You of a Change of Address)</em>, 1986. Gelatin silver photograh and silkscreen, 75 1/4 × 48 in. (191.1 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Helen Babbott Sanders Fund, Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund, and Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 87.56. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.56_bw.jpg)

Barbara Kruger (American, born 1945). Untitled (We Are Notifying You of a Change of Address), 1986. Gelatin silver photograh and silkscreen, 75 1/4 × 48 in. (191.1 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Helen Babbott Sanders Fund, Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund, and Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 87.56. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.56_bw.jpg)

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Download our app and ask your own questions during your visit. Here are some that others have asked.

What does the writing on this poster allude to?

The artist herself hasn't spoken extensively about it but in the context of Kruger's other feminist work we believe it may be a reference to marriage as a kind of imprisonment for women, given the chains.

In this context the text likely refers to a woman, recently married and moving in with her spouse, filing change of address forms.

Another theory is that the shackles and text are an allusion to the forced removal of African peoples from their countries to be used as slaves in the U.S.A.

Thank you for those great explanations!

Untitled (We Are Notifying You of a Change of Address)

Barbara Kruger

Photography

ARTIST Barbara Kruger, American, born 1945

MEDIUM Gelatin silver photograh and silkscreen

DATES 1986

DIMENSIONS 75 1/4 × 48 in. (191.1 × 121.9 cm) frame: 76 1/8 × 48 7/8 × 2 1/2 in. (193.4 × 124.1 × 6.4 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Photography

ACCESSION NUMBER 87.56

CREDIT LINE Helen Babbott Sanders Fund, Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund, and Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Barbara Kruger (American, born 1945). Untitled (We Are Notifying You of a Change of Address), 1986. Gelatin silver photograh and silkscreen, 75 1/4 × 48 in. (191.1 × 121.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Helen Babbott Sanders Fund, Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund, and Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, 87.56. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 87.56_bw.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 87.56_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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Download our app and ask your own questions during your visit. Here are some that others have asked.

What does the writing on this poster allude to?

In this context the text likely refers to a woman, recently married and moving in with her spouse, filing change of address forms.

Another theory is that the shackles and text are an allusion to the forced removal of African peoples from their countries to be used as slaves in the U.S.A.

Thank you for those great explanations!