An 18-wheeler truck wrapped in bold black, white and red messages by the visual artist Barbara Kruger geared up for its tour across the country on Wednesday in SoHo, Manhattan. The truck is meant to raise eyebrows, prompt stares and stimulate conversation about American politics and culture.

Kruger is one of the 150 artists, poets, musicians, writers, filmmakers and actors who created work for "America: Here and Now," as the truck-art project is called. Some of them include Chuck Close, Jasper Johns, Edward Albee, Laurie Anderson, Rita Dove, Kiki Smith, Marc Doty and Philip Glass.

The truck is expected to arrive at its next stop, Kansas City, on May 6.