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Dreamland is a move away from my previous work dealing with fast food as symbol for global consumerism.
By shifting my focus to the realm of advertising I plan to shed new light on the selling forces that dominate our landscape.
The mass-media saturated world we live in, and the advertising that fuels it, has a tremendous impact on the individual.
The first works in Dreamland, titled Lighthouse 1 and Lighthouse 2, explore the invisible force that
advertising has on our lives. This force has blurred the line between our own wants and those of the advertising machine.
In each of these works we see a couple on the street. In Lighthouse 1 the couple sits in front of a Gap ad. In Lighthouse
2 the couple stands before a vending machine. In each painting the couples are echoed in the advertising before them. They
have become the product.
Another work titled The Mandillion, is based on the Shroud of Turin. This
large image in two panels shows a figure in repose seen from the back and the front. This version of the shroud, however,
shows the figure floating over a background of magazine covers. This work contrasts the sublime with the ridiculous. It sees
our highest ideals clashing with our more base desires.
A sculptural work called Christopher’s
Masterpiece is a triple self-portrait built to resemble a life-size issue of Vanity Fair. It is a six-foot tall, free standing
work containing four paintings. It features myself on the cover emulating Leonardo DiCaprio. This painting is based on an
actual Vanity Fair cover. The interior and back show fashion, fragrance and alcohol ads. This piece shows print advertising
as a guided missile aimed directly at the viewer.
The central piece in Dreamland is titled Sapphire.
This large work is built to resemble a church altarpiece. Two doors open to reveal a series of arresting images. When closed,
this piece is a six-foot square Gap logo. Gap models painted in blue float behind the letters. The doors open to reveal two
figures in a cloudy landscape. They are flanked by two additonal sleeping figures. The central figures warm their hands over
a burning Gap bag. This work evokes a dreamlike feeling as the sleeping figures project their shopping fantasy. Other works
will further explore these themes.
With Dreamland I hope to explore the overarching influence advertising
has on modern culture. Advertising has become our primary belief system and it dictates the way we live and function. Are
we awake to these ideas or will we continue to live within this dream?
April, 2000
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