Penultimatum

This painting is looking to what I feel about Capitalism, and how I think it can not be the progressive all encompassing philosophy of mankind that many think it can be. I feel it's values do not lend themselves to environmental sustainability, and so in the end does not support life and the human existence, but supports greed and power on an elitist basis. I look to history, the story of Easter Island and fear for the future of our species.

We live on a finite planet and we are not living in balance with it.

Penultimatum is a term I have created to describe a Modernity where Capitalism as our possible penultimate all encompassing philosophy could be our ultimatum.

The large brain represents bio genetics where a group of scientists have created a huge mind to answer questions on how to change the way we are living. Above them a glass structure acts as a barrier designed on the tiara from the statue of liberty, referencing American ideals of “The American Dream”, plagued by materialism.

The amber and green lights of the office windows represent a traffic light system of capitalist society. This “get ready ... Go” Ideology is the life we lead, always on the move, never pausing to stop and think. At the very top a blood stained window represents the exploited, (the only stop on this traffic light system)the hundreds of slave labourers who toil for very little to make the novelty crap that the west feels it needs to have to be happy.

The painting is a warning. For I do believe we live in the time of Penultimatum.

Maybe Critical Realism could be our all encompassing progressive philosophy.

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