This oil painting forms part of Turkish artist Asli Özok’s ‘Barcode series’ in which she reflects on one of the greatest issues of modern times, consumerism. Used commercially to identify products, barcodes have become prevalent in everyday life. By painting this visual signifier on a monumental scale, superimposed with the image of cargo ship – of the type that would transport mass manufactured goods across the world – Özok brings to the fore society’s quest to purchase, discard and consume again.