There Will Be Milkshakes! 

Dave Macdowell made this painting titled ‘There Will Be Milkshakes!’ sometime in the 20th century. The painting takes its title from the film ‘There Will Be Blood,’ and it appears to be a critique of capitalist greed set against a backdrop of religious imagery. It is striking how Macdowell uses religious iconography to comment on the main character’s destructive ambitions. The bloodletting from the crucifix can be seen to highlight the idea of sacrifice. Yet who is really being sacrificed here? The central figure is juxtaposed with symbols of both wealth and destruction: he holds milkshakes, while behind him oil rigs burn. Macdowell offers us a cautionary tale about the dangers of unbridled ambition, and the moral compromises that often accompany the pursuit of wealth. He seems to say that material success comes at a steep cost - a loss of innocence and empathy. The artist challenges us to think about the legacies we leave behind, and the impact of our actions on the world around us.