Art & Consumerism
The relationship between art and consumerism is intricate and multifaceted. Art often reflects, critiques, and sometimes perpetuates consumerist culture. It can serve as a mirror, showcasing societal values, desires, and excesses. Some artists use consumerist symbols and products as subject matter, critiquing materialism and commodification. Alternatively, consumerism can influence the art world, shaping trends and driving commercialism within it.
The tension lies in how art navigates this consumerist landscape, whether it challenges or becomes subsumed by it. In essence, art and consumerism are intertwined, with artists both embracing and resisting the allure of a consumer-driven society, making it a rich subject for artistic exploration.
I Shop Therefore I Am (1987) is the work of Barbara Kruger. It became an iconic artwork, being reproduced on items such as shopping bags and other consumer products such as t-shirts. Kruger has often derived images from the mass media and pasted the words over them, particularly in Futura Bold. She then uses …
Barbara Kruger’s I shop therefore I am – What you should know Read More
Thomas Hirschhorn has grown to become one of the most recognizable leading artists in the global contemporary art world. He gained fame in the 1990s thanks to his space-filling massive collages that were created from disposable materials. Influence & background Thomas Hirschhorn was born in Switzerland in 1957. Originally trained as a graphic designer, …
Thomas Hirschhorn filled entire museum with garbage Read More
Song Dong’s Waste Not is an installation with a story behind it. A testament born of the artist’s mother, Zhao Xiangyuan’s hoardings, the...
In this short film, a life-size replica of a McDonald’s burger bar gets flooded with water gradually. There are images of furniture being washed away in the water, food floating around the room, and electric appliances short-circuit to a halt before space can no longer be seen below the water. While the production lacks …
Why did the Danish artists Superflex flood McDonald’s? Read More
Who is Brad Downey? Brad Downey has consolidated a reputation for himself in the street art community as an artist who has a flair for navigating gray areas in society. His work in public is an expert combination of culture and sensationalism, which are both presented and partnered with media-friendly and pop culture acceptable imagery. …
McDonald’s didn’t pay for Brad Downey’s mural Read More
Who is Erwin Wurm? Erwin Wurm is one of the greatest sculptors to come out of Austria. He is known internationally for the bizarre sculptures he has created throughout his career. Wurm was born in Bruck an der Mur, Styria, Austria, and currently lives and works in Limberg and Vienna, Austria. Fat Cars Wurm thinks …
Looking at Erwin Wurm’s Fat Cars will make you laugh Read More
Ai Weiwei’s Sunflowers Ai Weiwei emerged as a revolutionary artist on the scene of Chinese art and culture. He served as a protagonist in various dynamic avant-garde movements. His controversial exhibitions have taken the world of art by storm. He has been represented on top in the list of 100 most powerful people who …
Ai Weiwei explains his famous Sunflower Seeds Read More
