The artwork, named “Supermarket,” was created by Tetsuya Ishida in 1997. It falls within the Surrealism art movement and is categorized as a symbolic painting.
The artwork depicts a surreal and symbolic scene of a supermarket. At its center, there is a forlorn-looking individual, dressed in what appears to be a formal suit, whose arms have been replaced by mechanized conveyor belts. These belts are transporting various goods, all of which seem to be packages of food products, from their origin within the supermarket shelves towards a nearby cashier counter. The person appears to be an intrinsic part of this mechanized and impersonal system, surrounded by neatly arranged shelves stocked with numerous boxed products. This imagery evokes a feeling of dehumanization and mechanization, reflecting the artist’s commentary on modern societal roles and the overwhelming pressure of conformism.
