Clusterf*ck; Down the Aisles of
Excess
"Growing up in the suburbs, chain supermarkets were part of my environment and my visual landscape. The multitude of long colourful aisles, each dedicated to different products was impactful. Sometimes there would be an entire aisle dedicated to many brands of the same product. This painting series was inspired by the overwhelming feeling one may experience while trying to pick out the right floor cleaner, or laundry detergent. The experience can be a long one, as we read the back of labels we compare brand reputation, value, even ingredients. Choosing the right paper towel may be as subconscious as choosing the one with the most alluring package design. As every product is aiming for our attention, we end up with a display of products specifically designed to be as eye-catching as possible. The result is a visual sensory overload, a battle between products for consumer’s attention.
Living in a Western society, we enjoy the luxury of hundreds of brands for the same product, but at what point does it become an unnecessary abundance? Through my paintings of store shelves, I have aimed to represent the visual conversation between products and people. To draw attention to the degree of conditioning we are subjected to in society and the level of subconscious brand recognition. In these works, not one brand name is legible, yet most of them are recognizable"
