The capabilities of modern machine production combined with materialistic desire has led to a wasteland of pointless objects.
In looking back on history, there are few things that have changed more than fashion. Queen Elizabeth’s dress in this painting from the 16th century typifies the outlandish appearance of old world formal attire. Its extravagant circumference and oversized ruffles would only be suitable in the 21st century if she were to wear it to the Met Gala.
There are several reasons why fashion has transformed over the centuries including the rise of machine production. Assembly lines have streamlined the appearance of fashion and has tamed the theatricality of 16th century dress.
Prior to this production technology, clothing was made by raw materials from distant lands and assembled by hand. The pre - industrial capabilities of the consumer world produced a consumer culture that was much different. Every aspect of the production process required a wealthy patron that could afford the hand made tailoring and the expense of the materials.
For example, in the 16th century 30,000 seashells from the Mediterranean were required to produce a single ounce of purple dye. To produce the color red, Brazilwood from the Americas had to be boiled then shipped to England. (Mortimer) This difficulty in producing and shipping dyes made them extremely expensive, accessible only to the wealthy.
Today, dyes are made from the planet’s abundant petroleum resources, and assembly lines construct every piece of fabric. This process has eliminated rarity in favor of cost efficiency. With this efficiency, the appearance of the material world has drastically changed.
While fashion is a sector that seems to have benefited by machine production, the side effects of assembly lines have produced a modern world of a more disturbing nature.
Machine objects
Similar to clothing, decorative objects have experienced similar effects of machine processing.
Before mass production, porcelain was a common decorative object whose value was derived from its craftsmanship. The combination of handmade skill and artistic nuance made these objects sought after decorative pieces.
These vases from the 18th century Qing dynasty exemplify the artistic quality of porcelain.
The importance of porcelain is highlighted by several paintings that include such objects.
A painting by Pieter Hooch from 1668 includes a set of porcelain atop a fireplace.
The talented artisan required to hand produce these objects lent them an exquisite beauty that made them desirable interior decorations.
Willem Kalf’s painting “Still Life with a Ming Ginger Jar” closely examines a porcelain jar and two other goblets. This painting raises interesting questions regarding materialistic culture: specifically, how materialistic desire was just as strong in 1700 as it is in 2020.
The precise textural details and realistic lighting produce a life-like appearance that speaks to our consumerist impulses. The tantalizing arrangement and variety of objects generates a visual stimulus that activates our material desires.
This painting shows how consumerism has been a biological constant, the only difference today being that machines can fulfill this limitless desire.
This desire for “things” far outpaces the production abilities of handmade products, allowing the unlimited capacity of assembly line production to fill the void. This leads to a wasteland of machine made objects that lack any form of intrinsic value.
Machine Wasteland
A common interior decoration is a sign that reads “live laugh love.” This decorative object is an interesting example of how machine products have subtly infiltrated the human world. Whereas decorative objects held a rarity due to their handmade artistic nuance, this slab of wood attempts to legitimize its existence with an empty arrangement of words.
Internally we consider this decoration a fulfilling object worthy of display, something that holds a value in our minds. Yet the slab of wood and empty arrangement of words is one of a million others like it, and inevitably destined for a landfill.
Andy Warhol’s “Campbell's Soup Cans” illustrates this idea how mass production combined with consumerist drive leads to an abundance of mechanically produced objects.
The repetition of the cans shows the infinite capacity of machines, and how this capacity will continue to invade all aspects of human life.
Evidence of this machine invasion can be seen in department stores filled with superfluous clothing and useless trinkets. This mess reflects the waste that is produced when the demands of consumerism are matched with the capabilities of machine production.
Sources:
The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England, Ian Mortimer, 2014
Forrest, another good one. I like your landfill comment.