Les Chats de Luxe

Alec Kriegbaum enjoys exploring materialism through an animal lens to force viewers to question the American interpretation of success.

“Les Chats de Luxe” is inspired by today’s influencer and streetwear culture, which emphasizes logos and brand image as a signal of wealth. Three cats grace the painting; two enviously peek onto the third with its Louis Vuitton logo-clad bag. The crackled, red-painted background provides depth through texture, grounding the piece. “Les Chats de Luxe” is composed of oil paint on wood. Psychologically, the color red narrows attention and sharply surrounds the piece’s subjects.

American consumers prize wealth symbols, but animals see no value in logos. This piece prompts consumers inclined to purchase items that serve as wealth symbols to reevaluate these objects’ impact on their lives. Giving pets a luxury item seems absurd. Why, then, do humans regularly purchase luxuries when the rest of the animal kingdom sees them as nearly valueless? g