Mutually Assured Consumption and Destruction – Collage by Sally Edelstein

I am pleased that my collage Mutually Assured Consumption and Destruction will be on exhibit at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York from May 2 – June 6, 2015

Using collage as a means of examining social fictions, the piece is composed of images appropriated from vintage advertising, periodicals, newspapers, vintage school books, and old illustrations, dissociating them from their original use to better evaluate its original meaning.

The collage filled with appropriated mid-century American imagery offers a glimpse into American consumer culture that helped define the fairy tale American dream and the possibility of its attainment..

Mutually Assured Consumption and Destruction

The mid-century martini swilling magicians of Madison Avenue were working their magic in tandem with the Mad men of the Military Industrial Complex, working double time fusing a double set of desires for the nuclear family for more weapons of mass destruction and more ease of living.

The desire for the ever larger tail finned car and ballistic missile, frost-free refrigerator and 3 stage rocket were brought to you by the same corporation..

Nuclear weapons both to protect and threaten became the icons of the Cold War.

What enhanced the happy housewives Clorox clean home was not unrelated to what protected the homeland since many of the same consumer companies like GE, Westinghouse and Chrysler were also major defense contractors.

It was a time of mutually assured consumption and destruction.

Exhibition

Guild Hall 158 Main Street East Hampton, NY 11937

If you are in the East Hampton area I invite you to the opening reception on Saturday May 2 from 4-6pm.

Copyright (©) 2015 Sally Edelstein All Rights Reserved