Painter Alex Gross is best known for his pop surrealist figurative paintings that examine issues surrounding globalization, consumerism, branding, entropy, and the unstoppable passage of time. Referencing comic books, classic television characters, and other pop imagery, Gross creates a witty blend of advertising, propaganda, and Surrealism. In 2012, Alex Gross’s solo exhibition, “Product Placement,” lampooned the ubiquitous and disturbing presence of product promotions and advertising in everyday life. Gross has said of the subject matter in his work: “The world that I live in is both spiritually profound and culturally vapid. It is extremely violent but can also be extremely beautiful. Globalization and technology are responsible for wonderfully positive changes in the world as well as terrible tragedy and homogeneity. This dichotomy fascinates me, and naturally influences much of my work.
