Sauces 

Ralph Goings made this photorealist painting, Sauces, which depicts everyday condiments. Goings was part of a movement of artists in the late 1960s and 70s who turned to photography as a source for their paintings, often capturing the banal objects of consumer culture. Sauces reflects Goings' fascination with the play of light on surfaces and the way ordinary objects reveal the social fabric of American life. The condiment bottles suggest a cultural landscape shaped by industrialization, mass production, and consumerism. We may think about the labor involved in producing these goods, who has access to them, and how they shape our experiences around the dining table. The sauces evoke a sense of nostalgia, conjuring up images of diners and family meals, as well as more critical questions about what and how we consume. Goings encourages us to find beauty and significance in the everyday, sparking reflection on the cultural and economic systems that shape our lives.