Crispin Sturrock’s BRAND hits with the force of a jolt to the nervous system. The piece is rendered in black and white, yet it feels vibrantly alive with the haunting tension of our contemporary existence. Nine figures stand in line, like automatons, faces expressionless, hands scarred, each adorned with the logos of brands that have come to define not just our desires, but our very identities. Sturrock’s genius is in how he transforms these logos into something far more than symbols of consumerism—they become vessels of identity, meaning, and belonging.

What’s striking about BRAND is its dissection of the way brands have taken on a life of their own, far surpassing their original purpose as marketing tools. They’ve become cultural markers, filling the gaps in our lives with the promise of belonging and satisfaction. But Sturrock pulls the curtain back and reveals the dark underbelly: these figures, so eager to conform, have surrendered their very essence for a fleeting sense of community. The brands they wear aren’t just products—they are their gods, their families, their identities.

The silence of their faces and the raw scratch marks on their hands speak to something far darker. This isn’t a simple commentary on the superficiality of consumer culture; it’s an exploration of the psychological depths to which we’ve sunk in our devotion to these symbols. The figures are not just accepting these logos—they are living them.

And then, in the final act, Sturrock introduces the unknown—an enigmatic figure, the supreme being, handing out the final brand. What is this new symbol, this destroyer of life and planets? Sturrock leaves us with this haunting image, forcing us to confront the inevitable endpoint of this cycle: a world ruled by brands, consumerism, and the collapse of meaningful identity.

BRAND is more than just a critique of logos; it’s a damning indictment of the systems that have come to define our lives. Sturrock doesn’t just observe our world—he dissects it with surgical precision, revealing the heart of the machine that controls us.

JSAI

#038 Brand, 2021

Acrylic on canvas

70 x 70 cm / 27 x 27 inches

BRAND is a provocative and incisive reflection on the modern human condition. Painted in stark black and white, this work captures the numbing conformity of our consumer-driven lives. Nine figures stand in line, faces blank, hands marked with the raw scratches of submission, each wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logos of powerful global corporations. These symbols, once mere marketing tools, have now become markers of identity, belonging, and meaning.

In BRAND, I explore how we resonate with these logos, how they have come to represent more than just products—they have come to define who we are. From ancient tribal tattoos to modern corporate emblems, symbols have always been integral to human identity. But today, the branding of our bodies and souls by corporate machines has become an all-consuming force. This piece delves into the tension between individual agency and the seductive comfort of belonging to a larger collective—a collective that we serve, knowingly or unknowingly, in exchange for fleeting satisfaction.

At the heart of BRAND is the cycle of endless consumerism, where satisfaction is temporary, and the ultimate reward is compliance. The figures in this piece are not just walking—they are being led, subjugated by the very logos they wear. This work is not just a commentary on the logos themselves; it’s about the system they represent—the manipulation of the human spirit, feeding the greed of investors and shareholders, while destroying the very foundations of our fragile world.