Shopaholics 

Alex Gross made this painting, Shopaholics, in the early 21st century. The work presents two sheep-headed people laden with luxury shopping bags, all set against a backdrop of Louis Vuitton logos, while vultures circle around them. Gross’s hyperrealist style combined with surrealist imagery provides commentary on contemporary consumer culture. The use of animal heads on human bodies brings to mind the tradition of fables, where animals are used to represent human characteristics and behaviors. Here, the sheep may symbolize the idea of blindly following trends or being easily led, suggesting a critique of consumerism. The vultures, traditionally associated with death and decay, could represent the destructive nature of excessive consumption. The inclusion of luxury brand logos and shopping bags from high-end retailers situates the artwork firmly within a critique of consumer society and capitalist excess, of the kind one finds in the USA. A deeper understanding of this work requires one to research the social and economic conditions of the early 21st century, particularly the rise of consumer culture and its impact on individual identity and social values.