Barbara Kruger, My Pretty Pony, 1988

Barbara Kruger

My Pretty Pony, 1988

Artist Book: The complete set of 9 limited edition lithographs and 8 screenprints in colors, on Rives paper, with text by Stephen King, bound with brushed stainless steel cover (as issued). Hand signed by BOTH Barbara Kruger and Stephen King on the Colophon page

Signed in graphite pencil on the colophon page by BOTH artist Barbara Kruger and author Stephen King

Edition of 250

20 3/25 × 13 3/4 × 1 1/4 inches

The complete set of 9 lithographs and 8 screenprints in colors, on Rives paper, with text by Stephen King, bound with brushed stainless steel cover (as issued). Signed by Barbara Kruger and Stephen King on the Colophon page in graphite pencil

"My Pretty Pony" is a short story written by Stephen King and illustrated by the artist Barbara Kruger. It was the sixth publication in the Whitney Museum of American Art artist and writer series, sponsored by the Library Fellows. This copy is from the original limited book edition of 250 published in 1989, with an oversized fine press slip-cased book with stainless steel faced boards and digital clock (no longer functional) inset into the front cover. (In fact, the publisher notes the clock will eventually stop functioning, which is part of the message of the story and images!)
This artist book combines Stephen King’s short story about the perception and experience of Time, with Kruger’s overlaid images of horses and riders. Each image depicts a small photograph of a hand holding a stopwatch punctuated by one or two words which together spell “Time ain’t got nothing to do with how fast you can count.” The brushed stainless steel cover of the book incorporates a digital clock to track the reader’s own time but the battery has now run out.
Illustrated book with nine screenprints (one with lithograph), eight lithographs, and stainless steel cover with digital clock (no longer functional). There were also 30 copies for the artists. My Pretty Pony is one of the most elaborate books produced under the auspices of the Whitney. (These publications were not generally available for sale, having been published for the Fellows, and are quite hard to obtain.) One of an edition of 250 copies signed by Kruger and King. (There was also a separate unsigned edition of the book, without the silkscreens and lithographs.)
The Barbara Kruger lithographs were printed by Maurice Sanchez at Derriere L’Etoile Studios, and the silkscreens were printed by Pinwheel, New York. The text was set by hand in Century Schoolbook and printed at A. Colish under the supervision of Jerry Kelly. Uncut in original quarter red morocco, sheets of brushed aluminum mounted on sides, digital clock on upper cover. Lacking gray outer slip case.