99 Cent 1999

Andreas Gursky made this photograph, 99 Cent, to capture the overwhelming feeling of consumer abundance. I find it interesting because he seems to let the vibrant colour palette and repetitive nature of consumer goods dictate the composition. I wonder if Gursky thought of the shelves as a sort of readymade canvas, stacked with infinite variations of packaging, like a grid of pre-painted marks. Think about it: each product is designed to catch your eye. Gursky takes advantage of this, creating a hyper-real spectacle of textures, colours, and shapes. The shelves almost flatten into abstract bands of colour. It makes me think of the work of Jeff Koons, who also explores themes of consumerism and banality. Both artists show us a reflection of our own desires and values, in a way that is both seductive and unsettling. Ultimately, artworks like this open up space to think about how we construct and experience the world.