theslantwise » Barbara Kruger http://theslantwise.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:06:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The Thinker http://theslantwise.com/2010/06/02/the-thinker/ http://theslantwise.com/2010/06/02/the-thinker/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:38:07 +0000 Alan http://theslantwise.com/?p=529 Continue reading →]]> Strolling through the AGO I once again came upon Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’—a bronze cast from the 1920′s of a strong, nude man in an intense thinking mode—elbow on knee lost in deep concentration. What is he thinking about? Musing on? Relationships? Family? Ultimate questions? We don’t know—all we can do is observe from the outside the ruminations of the inside.

I also was intigued by Barbara Kruger’s new installation along the building’s facade—size—13.75′ x 584.5′—massive! A collage of text and photographs displaying messages the media bombards us with…”love it…shove it…praise it…please it…doubt it…shame it…blame it…kiss it…buy it…believe it.” There are no lack of prompts to guide our thinking. They lead us like a dog on a leash.

So what is filling your mind these days? What is the condition of your internal thinker? Are you musing about matters that lead you into fecundity or are you lost in the mire like the growing oil slick in the Gulf?

Both Rodin and Kruger invite us into the world of introspection—to reflect, ponder, consider our lives so they emerge more joyful and creative.

Thank you AGO for 2 hours well spent! If you are in TO sometime drop by and “check it” out!

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