Analgesic is easily the most blatant of depiction of materialism. This hand in particular takes on the fallen nature that ZHANG wants the audience to see; the pills lay around the hand as if they have been dropped. The hand itself is holding the mass produced pain pills beyond its control. Here we begin to see the control of the market over society. ZHANG has taken a well known and popular household product and made it into nothing other than material gold and silver purchased and held by the hand of society. The human has lost identity and lost control, implying the degradation of consumerist culture. And now all we know is the pills given to us; the drug of the masses.
Richelle Simon in July 2013
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