Roxy Paine's 'Apparatus' Dioramas Critique American Systems in 2013 Exhibition

Roxy Paine's 2013 exhibition 'Apparatus' features two large-scale wooden dioramas that critique contemporary American society. 'Control Room' depicts a sterile, anonymous space reminiscent of air-traffic control or power plant interiors, carved from birch and maple and painted in muted taupe and grey tones. The second diorama, 'Carcass', replicates a fast-food counter with meticulously hand-carved details, including straw dispensers. Both works, devoid of human figures, examine systems of control, complacency, greed, and excess. Paine's installations reference societal reliance on infrastructure like water supply, waste management, and digital servers, as well as contentious elements such as drone technology and NSA spying programs. The fast-food piece connects to subsidized agriculture, corporate food engineering, advertising targeting poverty, and healthcare profiting from bodily damage. The article, published in December 2013 by ArtReview, notes the absence of commentary on the art market system itself, which benefits from unquestioned societal apparatuses. The press release associated with the exhibition mentions the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, though the reviewer felt a sense of powerlessness instead. The dioramas symbolize broader American consumption patterns, including fast fashion, smartphones, and McMansions.