Guillermo Bert’s Barcodes challenge viewers to examine their relationship with consumption, while at the same time shedding light on the connection between American values and consumer culture. Originally designed to streamline transactions and track inventory, the Universal Product Code, or UPC barcode, is transformed by Bert into a metaphor for the commodification of human existence in the contemporary world.
Inspired by their iconic and ubiquitous presence in everyday life, Bert turns barcodes into art objects in their own right. He coats each barcode with either twenty-four carat gold leaf or a lustrous varnish—the same finish used on luxury cars. Yet, beneath their ostentatious surfaces a troublesome message emerges. Bert’s gilded and glossy barcodes also serve as a mirror, compelling viewers to question their own urge to participate in capitalist society through the pursuit of material possessions.