Fresh Mart

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The ‘Fresh Mart’ series delves into the manipulative power of language in modern consumerism, particularly through the misleading use of the word “Fresh.” In today’s supermarkets, “fresh” has become a buzzword plastered on items ranging from baked goods to dairy, regardless of whether the products truly embody that quality. The series captures the irony of branding processed items like donuts or bread as fresh, playing with the visual and conceptual dissonance between the label and the product’s reality.

Each painting acts as a critique of how this language lures customers into a false sense of quality. The shiny packages and bright colors, often seen in supermarkets, mask the fact that many of these products have been sitting on shelves for days, or even weeks, and have been subject to industrial production processes. By highlighting this, the series questions the value of such words when they are stripped of their original meaning, becoming mere marketing tools.

For example, a painting of a loaf of bread wrapped in plastic, stamped with “Fresh” in bold lettering, invites viewers to reflect on how something packaged for long-term preservation can be considered fresh. Similarly, “fresh” bananas might be depicted with the telltale signs of refrigeration or industrial handling, bringing attention to the fact that their journey to the store may have taken days. The series reveals the illusion behind the label, emphasizing how supermarket branding exploits consumers’ desire for quality and healthfulness.

Through exaggerated, often absurd, representations of these products, ‘Fresh Mart’ highlights the cognitive dissonance customers experience: they buy into the “fresh” label while subconsciously aware that these products are far from truly fresh. The series forces viewers to confront how easily they are influenced by the packaging and marketing of everyday items, offering a critical commentary on the commodification of natural, wholesome concepts in an industrialized world.

Buzzwords like “Fresh, Organic, Natural, Pure, Farm-raised, Locally-sourced, No additives, Low-fat, Sugar-free, Free-range, and Sustainably sourced” often create a false perception of health and quality. Frequently used for marketing, these terms may not accurately reflect the product’s true health benefits and can be misleading, masking processed or unhealthy ingredients.

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Enter Fresh Mart