Shopaholics II 

Alex Gross created this painting, Shopaholics II, satirizing consumer culture. The figures with animal heads, laden with shopping bags and luxury brands, suggest a critique of contemporary obsessions. Made in the early 21st century in the United States, the painting’s visual language reflects a society saturated with advertising and brand recognition. Gross uses the visual codes of consumerism, such as repeating logos from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Apple, to highlight how corporate imagery has infiltrated our collective consciousness. The figures are seemingly blinded by brand names, which turns them into animals, stripped of their individuality. It’s a commentary on how advertising preys on insecurities and a desire for social status, turning consumers into sheep-like followers, easily led by the latest trends. To understand the full scope of this imagery, we can consult sources in media studies and marketing, but the painting itself challenges the institutions that perpetuate these consumerist values. It prompts us to reflect on the social conditions that shape our desires.