Many believe that this painting is autobiographical, an affirmation of Kruger's Nasalism (see "Kruger Picks" by Jason Karmody, New York Magazine, April 10, 2009, and "Kruger's Nose," Art in America, January 2010), but while taking no position for or against the practice (see "Kruger Laughs," New York Times, April 16, 2009), Kruger denies that she picks and resents the suggestion that there is literal connection between her life and her work. A careful study of the Kruger literature supports her in this regard. See Kruger (New York: Abrams, 2009) 61-63, and the catalog of her recent show at New York's Museum of Modern Art, page 102. All doubt, surely, was removed when the Mary Boone Gallery, despite the fact that it represents Kruger, did not include her in "Nasalism - A Group Show," in June 2013.

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"I appreciate what Lawrence Shainberg is trying to do but in my opinion, and that of, I’m sure, most of my friends on Twitter and FaceBook, he does nosepicking a great disservice by focusing too much on dramatic crusts and ignoring the ordinary, unexciting ones which, let’s face it, are what most of us extract, most of the time, when our fingers explore our noses. If you look at our blogs and private email correspondence, you will see this sort of crust celebrated again and again precisely because it doesn’t attract a lot of attention, generate intense sensation or, God forbid, evoke anything like the insight Walker Linchuk comes to as a result of his “breakthrough crust.” Wake up, Mr. Shainberg. Our daily habit begins and ends at zero! If it didn’t, how would it help us forget ourselves and drift away from the daily grind? If Lawrence Shainberg could understand this, he might be able to do a book worthy of our practice."