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Gluttony in the 21st Century I & II (2019)

Carole Lee

Abstract, colourful painting of a crowded bar scene with stylised figures and text indicating a city location with live music and drinks.
A vivid painting of three people sat feasting in a restaurant or as part of some festivity. The scene is filled with bold colours, dynamic textures, and a background suggesting a lively atmosphere.
Listen to an audio description of Gluttony in the 21st Century I
Listen to an audio description of Gluttony in the 21st Century II

This diptych from Carole Lee explores the nuance of the meaning of gluttony. To be gluttonous is usually thought to mean being greedy, indulging in excess, and over-consuming. In our current social context, with looming climate catastrophe and sky-high wealth inequality, it’s easy to apply these negative readings of gluttony to our collective behaviour. We want too much, at too fast a pace, and the planet and our resources, as well as those tasked with producing them, cannot keep up. This critical use of gluttony, mirrored in its reference within Christianity as one of the seven deadly sins, certainly feels accurate. 

It stands in contrast, however, with the tone and palette of Carole’s works, which evoke a sense of jollity and memories of exuberance and freedom: dancing late into the night, wining and dining with friends, enjoying the luxuries life has to offer. It is in this contrast that Carole’s work finds its meaning. Are we witnessing the last hoorah, a final chance to celebrate in the face of all the pressures we face? Or are we privy to the cause of our suffering, willfully ignorant consumers continuing to indulge in spite of the consequences? 

In allowing the audience to decide this, Carole’s paintings have the uncanny effect of being at once beautiful and unsettling, underlining the complexities and tensions at the centre of conversations around consumer culture. How much are we entitled to? Who gets to decide?

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