Barbara Kruger is a conceptual artist who uses text and imagery reminiscent of mass media. This is how she provokes the viewer to think about themes concerning power, feminism, and identity. With a recognisable font in white, red and black, she directly addresses the viewer. Kiss – which refers to the exclamation ‘Kiss my ass’ – resulted from a collaboration between Artek (producer of Alvar Aalto’s stool) and the London Institute of Contemporary Arts.  

This slat chair is marketed by the ultra-commercial fashion brand Supreme, in partnership with furniture producer Cassina. The brand’s red-and-white logo strongly resembles the visual language used decades ago by Barbara Kruger in her anti-capitalist art. Rietveld would probably have been horrified at this appropriation of an artistic visual language for commercial purposes. But the fierce debates provoked by this version of his chair has again brought it to the attention of the mass public. Which Rietveld would surely have been happy with. [text 2023]