The science of nutrition has never been more advanced, and yet obesity levels are soaring. Cynicism towards advertising is at an all time high, and yet we keep buying shit like there’s no tomorrow. Are we really so easily manipulated, do we just not care? Is our reckless eating similar to the smoker’s fallacy: delayed consequences equals no consequences?
Even if he can’t save the world from itself, Los Angeles artist Patrick Martinez is making people stop and think with his Buy Now, Cry Later works – a series of upfront messages challenging our personal choices put across in gaudy neon and mixed media. The collection was installed for a one-day pop-up called Break Bread at an El Tapitio supermarket in LA – very sporting of them considering the damning indictment of our dietary self-abuse the work delivers (perhaps they were too dumb to grasp the concept entirely) – as a precursor to the main exhibition at the Public Functionary gallery in Minneapolis. Even though it (nearly) put us off our afternoon biscuits, we recommend a second helping when the exhibition runs from 15 November to 20 December.
“increase the peace”
neon, 2013
At “Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
“a dream deferred”
neon, 2013
“american melting pot 1” (chinese mexican)
neon, 2013
At “Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
“Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
“break bread….gluten is not free”
mixed media on acrylic plex and neon, 2013
“happy birthday makaveli”
mixed media on panel with airbrush
and gold mirror plex, 2013
At “Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
“you drink too much”
neon, 2013
“you drink too much”
neon, 2013
At “Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
“money orders”
neon, 2013
At “Break Bread” installation,
El Tapitio Markets, Los Angeles
Photo, Brandon Shigeta
