Capitalism is a system that has infiltrated every corner of our lives. It’s in the food we eat, the cars we drive, and the small items that bring us joy. Everything we consume is marketed to us by corporations and CEOs who only seek to line their pockets. However, we have the ability to remove ourselves from this system by making more conscious decisions about what we consume.
This work uses the mechanic of the game Operation, which allows viewers to attempt to remove each item from the body. Some items are easier to remove, such as the Tesla car keys and the flashy diamond ring. However, some are much more difficult as seen in the leg bone, representing the inaccessibility yet necessity of private health care in the United States. Capitalism is so strongly rooted in our lives that one may find it impossible to separate from it, but we are more than consumers. We can choose to shop small and build communities that support each other apart from these oppressive, unsustainable systems.
2025, acrylic on cardboard, 30″x40″
Asher Perez 