I am presenting the behaviours that I witness and partake in. I reflect the superficiality of consumer culture by focusing on surface and colour in the tradition of Pop Art. As with Pop, my paintings are a part of the world they depict. I use humour to disarm the viewer. They are drawn in by the visual appearance of the colour and bold design and cartoon looking character but then a darker or more cynical message comes through.
For example, in Aftersun, a bloated man is getting burnt in a sunbed and his vanity is further evidenced by his branded underwear. The only other thing he wears is an iconic ‘Livestrong’ bracelet, a brand which supported cancer research. The irony here is that the figure most likely has only paid attention to its fashionable status and is gormlessly unaware of the harm he is doing to his skin (whilst listening to True by Spandau Ballet).
www.oliepp.com