Originally unveiled as part of the Performa 17 Biennial in 2017, Kruger’s project returns this fall as a special reissue of limited-edition hoodies and t-shirts, now expanded with French and Arabic translations, in collaboration with ITEM IDEM in Paris.

The Drop is now available for pre-order at the Performa shop.

Limited quantities will also be available for purchase at the Performa 2025 Hub during the biennial.

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ABOUT THE RELAUNCH

Performa celebrates its 20th anniversary with the relaunch of Barbara Kruger’s The Drop. Through this reactivation, audiences are invited to engage directly with Kruger’s ongoing interrogation of commerce, language, and identity, this time through the familiar act of shopping, both online and in real life.

“The return of The Drop underscores Performa’s unique role as both commissioner and steward of live performance,” says RoseLee Goldberg, Founding Director and Chief Curator of Performa. “Our 20th anniversary is not only a celebration of pioneering artists like Barbara Kruger, but also a reaffirmation of Performa’s mission to preserve and reactivate landmark works for future generations.”

Kruger’s original commission for Performa 17 transformed New York City with her bold text-based interventions across billboards, building façades, and site-specific installations. The 2025 revival reintroduces the project in a new, multilingual context, amplifying her incisive slogans across wearable objects that circulate in daily life. By adding French and Arabic, Kruger reframes meaning across cultures and broadens access to The Drop. The reissued edition invites a global audience to engage with her critiques of power, media, and identity in new ways.