Monuments to the everyday on at Realm’s Artspace

When American pop artist Andy Warhol first exhibited his iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans artwork in 1962, they were stacked neatly together, like products lining the supermarket shelves. 

Warhol took an everyday, mass-produced item and thrust it centre-stage, and in doing so held up a mirror to show society their consumer-selves.  

Monuments to the everyday presents the works of three contemporary artists – Carly Fischer, Kenny Pittock and Nathan Taylor – who similarly adopt the visual language of popular, everyday products to critically examine the ordinary and consumerist nature of society. 

While at first they appear little more than innocuous items – an empty takeaway coffee cup, crushed drink cans, fast food wrappers, decaying food, curious product constructions – the works instead serve to encapsulate and confront society’s consumption and disposable culture of consumerism. 

These thoughtful, playful and at times humorous artworks reference many of our everyday behaviours and encounters, reminding us of their seemingly silent, yet powerful influence on our day-to-day life. 

Monuments to the everyday presents the by-products of capitalism – deconstructed and re-framed – drawing our attention to the subliminal power of the ‘brand’. 

Monuments to the everyday is on until Sunday 15 July at ArtSpace at Realm, Ringwood Town Square, 179 Maroondah Highway.

For more information visit the Arts in Maroondah Website