The Bold and The Beautiful Award.
INTO THE CAPITALOCENE
“Shower him with all earthly blessings, plunge him so deep into happiness that nothing is visible but the bubbles rising to the surface of his happiness, as if it were water; give him such economic prosperity that he will have nothing left to do but sleep, eat gingerbread, and worry about the continuance of world history.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground
The core of my practice revolves around consumption and its consequences, drawing from the profound societal shift towards a culture of excessive consumption, a transformation that has been further accelerated by the events of the post-COVID era. I aim to dissect the complex web of economic forces, cultural influences, and individual behaviours that have collectively rewired our society to prioritise conspicuous consumption. My practice largely involves the use of second-hand objects and found materials in sculptural and installation based works, evoking the concept of the store-front and consumer spaces intertwined with the ‘real’ within the gallery. These materials carry the weight of their own histories, highlighting the idea of re-using and re-purposing in a world plagued by waste, utilising the everyday and the familiar. The works create a dialogue and reflection with viewers around their own consumption practices and the fragile state of our environment, which is the most vital facet of my practice.
I draw largely from sociological and philosophical research about consumerism, my own consumer patterns, and work experience in luxury retail. All together these shape every aspect of my practice and allows me to create multi-faceted works with a heightened awareness both as an active participant and agent in consumer society. This unique positionality enables me to facilitate discussion through the lens of class, material value, and envisioning an alternative sustainable future. As someone who turned to shopping in my time of need, my current practice has been cathartic in confronting and assessing how I move in the world – documenting the shift in wanting to return back to the real or ‘touching grass’ as they would say on X (formerly known as twitter).
instagram: @justyneallen
