The Army of Jugs

Jacques Louis David (France; 1748 –1825)
The Army of Jugs (c. 1793)
Bibliotheque Nationale de France (Paris, France)

Accompanying Song: Le Chant Du Dpart 1794









David switches to a different style in the creation of The Army of Jugs, a popular poster filled with bawdy and crass humor. There are no hidden concepts or subtleties like in David's Oath of the Horatii. The caricatures of the soldiers have jug bodies, a play on the French word for jug which is also slang for "idiot". The king's men are depicted as fools who are defecated on by the working class. Furthermore, there is an explanation at the bottom that leaves no chance for misinterpretation. This poster is easily replicated and, indeed, was copied and posted around France's pubs where the working class could see them. This method easily communicated to the masses that the monarchy was impotent and the time to rebel was nearing. David craftily uses art as a tool to reach the masses quickly and efficiently and unite them for a massive revolutionary effort.

Your Body Is A Battlegound

Barbara Kruger (America; 1945-Present )
Untitled (your body is a battleground) (c. 1989)
The Broad Art Foundation (Santa Monica, U.S.)

Accompanying Song: Rrriot Girl by Le Tigre

Kruger draws attention to society's lust for objectifying the female body. The silk screen poster applies the use of a negative to split the poster into halves. The end result criticizes the standard of symmetry applied to feminine beauty as well as the media obsession with advertising such benchmarks (The Broad Art Foundation). Furthermore, "Your Body is A Battleground" designates female ownership and even points to rightful power. The statement “Your body is a battleground” heralds that females can have control over their own bodies and must fight for their right. The simple yet stark poster sends a clear message about the divine rights women have over their bodies. Additionally, its bold statement encourages females to stand up against lies-spinning media and a shallow society.

Obey Giant

Frank Shepard Fairey (America; 1970-Present)
Obey Giant (c.1993)
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

Accompanying Song: I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight by U2

The Obey Giant sticker campaign was an “experiment in Phenomenology”, says creator Fiarey. Fiarey wanted to draw attention to propaganda and the public willingness to swallow it down. The introduction of the Obey pictures challenged viewers to think critically of themselves in relation to their surroundings. Furthermore, it emphasizes a message about the path of least resistance: to obey or not to obey ("Shepard Fairey--Agent of Change"). The mass production of these stickers has proliferated society with this concept. Stickers may be stuck to walls on city streets and stencils of the image have even been seen on buildings. Like David’s mass reproduction of The Army of Jugs, the multiple copies make it more accessible to the public, so much so that one cannot ignore it. Fiarey’s campaign for questioning obedience acts as a grass root movement that advocates engaged thinking and rejection of passivity.