Zoe and the abandoned Sears factory. Los Angeles, California. Built in 1927 this building was pivotal in introducing America to mail order shopping and ultimately the ease of acquiring possessions that we experience today. It’s cheaper, it’s easier, and your life can be overflowing with abundance without having to leave your home.
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For this series I wanted to explore the dichotomy of consumerism and happiness. From celebrity suicides to the sickening tales of hoarders who’s lives have been destroyed by an addiction to shopping, it seems to be common knowledge that material possessions will not lead to happiness. And yet, I still find myself, in moments of hardship, wondering how much fuller my life would be should I only have the ability to buy anything I wanted, whenever I want it. Our culture is filled with this concept. One of the top selling artists in history, The Weeknd, wrote “we don’t pray for love, we just pray for cars” in his hit single Starboy, a song that showcases the emptiness of excess in celebrity life. With so much empirical evidence of its pitfalls, how can consumerism still be so desirable?
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Piles of unopened presents (representing the superfluous nature and inherent waste that comes with the acquisition of possessions) sit haphazardly stacked in front of the now grungy birthplace of consumer culture. A woman dressed in a pink, princess-esque gown is also there. She appears to be discontent as she holds on to these symbols of happiness. It is clear to the viewer that these belong to her, and while they are not making her happy, she does not want to let them go, or even see what is inside of their shiny colorful wrapping. The viewer might ponder this strange scene and ultimately beg the question “Will you not seek fulfillment and happiness from within, from the intangible, from somewhere deeper? Is the joy that we all desire within the facade of corporate interest that can be purchased for $9.99, or is it within one’s heart?”
