Economic (Im)Mobility, 30"x40" Original Abstract Expressionist Painting

"Economic (Im)Mobility" is an original, abstract expressionist painting with a modern take on traditional street art. This wall decor comes ready to hang with a certificate of authenticity. 

Inspiration behind the painting:

This unique art was created with a politic undertone that covers the housing affordability crisis, college debt, stagnant wage growth amid inflation, and the brainwashed consumer. As I experiment more with expressionism, I find myself leaning into my career experience as a professional investment researcher, using the frustration and disappointment brought on by economic market research as a catalyst for political art subjects.

The rabbit centered in the painting, Fred, is consistent with some of the rabbits that show up in my other expressionist and surrealist works. I lean into this character as a personification of the universe guiding my subconscious mind. Despite his representation as a "guide" of thought, his whirled eyes show his own misguided confusion. He stands behind a thick boundary with his hands behind his back, suggesting difficulty in moving forward with ease. To the left of him, a partial roasting sun reminds of climate change, while three parallel lines have graffiti markings of consume, consume, consume. Behind him, an electric mix of markings and layered colors show the anxious energy of his demeanor.

The top left of the canvas shows a childlike scribble of the yellow playhouse so many of us owned in the 1990s and early 2000s. We played house with great aspirations, only to grow up and realize that many Little Tikes residents may never own an adult version of our play space. The subtle note of "Housing Budget: 1992 Little Tikes" speaks to the housing market, student loan debt, medical burdens, and other financial constraints that bind us to a rental market with few regulations. An additional subtle scribble of "What goes up must come down" is a reminder of the economic volatility we face as inflation and corporate greed control our entire lives, not just our economy. 

The top right of the canvas speaks to this more with scribbles saying "U of Debt" (short for University of Debt) and "This is the debt that never ends" - another play on the early 90s, from LambChop's "This is the song that never ends". The "Pay 2 Play" writing on a black and white checkered background is a nod towards the modern perception of everyone needing a college degree to be successful (black and white thinking) while the value of a four-year degree has diminished. 

Below that, on the right side of the canvas, is a sketch of Chicago's famous John Hancock building. As one of the most noteworthy skyscrapers in Chicago's skyline with retail, office, and residential occupants, its neon yellow coloring serves as a highlight to represent the luxury lifestyle it famously embodies. Yet, dark clouds hover above with a forecast as ominous as the building's recent vacancies. To the right of this, black and white parallel lines denote more black and white thinking of the naive American dream: pursue the highest education possible, achieve gainful employment, and the American Dream can be achieved. Economic reporting hovers above the parallel lines showing a simple, yet grim, line chart of the last decade's reporting: cost of living and healthcare expenses continue to grow exponentially while national wage averages remain flat. 

Economic Im(Mobility) is a playful scoff to the state of our Nation and the greed that continues to destroy it - leaving us riddled in debt, anxious about our future, underwhelmed by our education, and hopeless about the economic mobility we thought we were certain to achieve with hard work and determination.