Store-Scapes from Two Sides

Fred Meyer's lofted cafe space encourages admiring the shopping landscape from above. In some it might inspire disgust at our vast consumerism.

Fred Meyer from the loft cafe

I was reminded of the first time I saw Andreas Gursky's photograph "99 Cent".  A large poster of it was  displayed with no explanation at the 99¢ Only store in West Oakland. It made me wonder whether the employees thought of it as a critique of the mass pre-packed food industry, or whether they found pride in seeing their immediate world represented in fine art. 

Andreas Gursky's famous 1999 photograph, "99 Cent" (MoMA)

From either perspective, Gursky's art certainly demonstrates the essence of our times.