Ameritopia

“What does America dream about itself? And what is the “American Utopia”? I am using the iconic mid-century modernist architecture of such luminaries as Neutra, Lloyd-Wright and Koenig as a backdrop emblematic of our collective future vision of hope and optimism.”

~ LAUREN BERGMAN

• FULL ARTIST STATMENT

In this body of work, I am continuing an exploration of female identity within the constructs of the idealized, mythicized America.

Cultures throughout history have had a collective vision of their more perfect selves; whether it was called the Afterworld, Mount Olympus, Heaven, Nirvana, or what-have-you, these realms mirrored the then-current reality. Architecture, fashion, and elements of everyday life were depicted in these idealized worlds.

If culture is alive, does it dream? What does America dream about itself? And what is the “American Utopia”? I am using the iconic mid-century modernist architecture of such luminaries as Neutra, Lloyd-Wright, and Koenig as a backdrop emblematic of our collective future vision of hope and optimism. Incorporating appropriated imagery from such disparate sources as mid-century Vogue magazines to 1960s toy catalogs, these paintings create a narrative that is both personal and cultural. Speaking to the underlying fears of our current cultural climate – a faltering economy, a government mired in ceaseless bickering, an environment on the verge of crisis – these paintings offer a vision of our idealized selves; glimpses of life in the American Utopia.

Lauren Bergman | New York City | 2012