This series by Norman Gekko delivers a critical commentary on the environmental impact of mass consumerism. The series title draws attention to a planet 'laid waste' by greed and the selfish pursuit of wealth and pleasure. Of course, there is an added irony when we consider that the artworks are themselves made from waste/recycled objects.
Juxtaposing discarded chemical and oil barrels with famous brand names Gekko draws attention to the vast wealth which is generated for these industry giants by our incessant desire to consume. The implication is clear; the price of our lifestyle choices is not paid in the high street store but is instead borne by earth's natural resources. Here the artist questions just how far are we prepared to go in order to satisfy our superficial whims? What price is too high?
For once, Gekko drops the playful posture so evident in many of their earlier works: instead confronting the viewer and challenging us all to rethink the direction we are taking as a species.