Manfred Manz’ Heaven on Earth: Imperialistic Evolution of the Corporate World, at CMay Gallery through August 31st, gives viewers a vision about all-too-real messages in the clouds.
Upending the viewer with images of bucolic scenery and quiet roads, the cloudscapes reveal commercial messages that seem to explore the soullessness of our corporate-driven culture and its constant advertising.
The idea of product placement in tent-pole motion pictures seems quaint compared with today’s all-encompassing corporate advertising. In this exhibition, the artist presents a disturbing future that has to a large extent already overtaken us.
As timely as it is haunting, the exhibition begs for discussion. On August 24th, the artist will conduct a walkthrough and talk about his own messaging with Shana Nys Dambrot, who composed an essay for the exhibition that intriguingly discusses the “pernicious intrusiveness and low key mind control perpetrated by the corporations that rule the world.”
Menz’ work is both satiric and astute, using simple images to incorporate our complacent buy-ins to corporate sponsorship, advertising, promotion, and ownership. It would come as no surprise if Amazon actually advertised its near monopoly on the white fluffy clouds above us; or if Nike put it’s footprint on the sky.
Presented as a series of 14 photographs, Menz looks at clouds as if they were corporate billboards flashing their moving images and familiar logos in advertisements. We see Coca-Cola on a fluffy white cloud; American Airlines advertised on chemtrails, Netflix taking over a growing nimbus cloud much as the service obliterated video stores and conventional media viewing. Binge watch Menz’ warning, a cautionary tale as sharply observed and amusing as it is terrifyingly true.
Our politicians are brands, some of them as toxic as weed killer; our prediliction for the consumption of products define us; Amerika is the land of the corporate shill. All in all, it is one small leap to a bar code for the soul.
Menz is not new to creating a satiric view of a prescient subject: a previous exhibition, the Invisible Project, presented images with flora and fauna surrounding nothingness, their famous man-made landmarks, such as the Spanish Steps, not-seen above, obliterated.
Before being scanned into the Big Lots of life, take in the surrealism, wit, and darkness of Menz’ powerful new exhibition and the insightful talk this Saturday — and take the first step in resisting the corporate entities that insidiously engulf our consciousness.
CMay Gallery is located in mid-city at 5828 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
– Genie Davis; photos provided by the gallery
