Through carefully designed aesthetic structures, Greg Colson addresses ideas about advertising and consumption in contemporary society and how they distract from real issues. In his 'Mall Suite' series, Colson further explores his interest in how information flows are processed, filtered, and ultimately categorized by a society inundated with data. From lottery advertisements and weather forecasts to terrorist alerts and diet trends, we are bombarded by the news media with warnings and general advice that divert our attention from more important underlying issues.
The bizarre nature of the human-created consumer society often becomes evident from a certain distance. Colson's work seems to comment on the intrinsic contradictions inherent in a rationally anchored society. However, this is neither cynicism nor criticism. It leads to a unique, playful perspective. His work feels more like contemplation than argument, inviting viewers to reflect on their own responses to the inundation of information and the superficial distractions that characterize modern life.
New York Times review: “In nearly all of Mr. Colson’s works, the combination of modesty and grandiosity, of mental exactness and physical imprecision adds up to an odd, sad beauty. Elliptical as they are, his pieces often seem to scrutinize the conflict between the active center and deserted margins of industrialized society.”