ARTIST STATEMENT
You Are What You Consume, prompts the audience to question how our identities are influenced by consumer culture and how this aligns with moral teachings. Obviously, the resolved work appropriates The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. The hands symbolising God’s gift of life being passed down to humanity. Paradoxically, this is replaced with a receipt, also symbolising humanity’s consumeristic greed. Juxtaposing this recognisable religious scene against text, such as ‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU CONSUME’ and ‘BUY IT!’, ironically represents the recurrent materialistic consumption present in today's society.
ARTWORK PROCESS
The concept and process of You Are What You Consume was inspired by Barbra Kruger and Banksy’s critique of the commerce world through artistic approaches. Using lino-print, paint and paper to manipulate formal contexts of space, code, and colour, this piece directly warns the viewer of consumerism's influence on humanity. Evolved from my previous focus investigated in IA1/IA2 of consumerism's effect on the environment, this multimedia body of work reflects consumerism's effect on our modern society. I wanted to evoke viewers to question the morality of consumer culture by juxtaposing harsh consumer visual literacy and code against catholic appropriations.
