Stephen Dorsett

Artist Statement:

My paintings of decorated mass-produced objects attempt to raise questions about contemporary materialism and waste. The mechanical uniformity of mass-produced objects like cars, bottles, and cameras makes them interchangeable and hence disposable. Traditionally, the ethnic, socioeconomic, and political signifiers inherent in decorative patterns have added cultural value to hand-made objects like pottery, textiles, woodwork, and stonework. This cultural value has led to the preservation of these handmade objects in museums and private collections. In my paintings, a hybrid of ornamental patterns infuse mass-produced objects with political, social, and economic connotations intended to make the objects culturally relevant and worthy of preservation.
My sources of ornamentation are quite varied; patterns from Appalachian quilts, Hawaiian shirt designs, and Japanese Kimonos are just a few examples. Superimposed over mass-produced objects, these patterns highlight the irony that companies spend millions of dollars designing and marketing products that are immediately tossed after consumption. Commercial society is materialistic in nature and has no long term appreciation for materials. My ...