
“What does it take to really be happy?” This daunting question has troubled society for centuries. In a materialistic society, plagued with celebrities flaunting their beauty, ads selling the dream lifestyle, and millionaires boasting their wealth, finding true happiness seems impossible. The media suggests that the more objects a person owns, the happier they will be, causing people to spend more money and work harder to achieve a false sense of happiness. Due to the fact that materialism consumes society, this issue can be found in many works of art. Various artist use materialism as a theme in their artwork to inform or entertain the audience. In this artwork, the author uses contrasting colors, emotional appeal, and symbolism to show the impact of advertisement, identifying the problem of materialism that has dominated society. 

Colors are vital elements in an artist's work. Usually in a piece of art, an artist will color adjacent objects distinct colors. These contrasting colors are used to draw the viewer's attention to a particular object the artist wants the audience to see in the piece. In this painting, we see a group of hands reaching toward what seems to be a face, as if the face is in high demand. The hands are painted a deep navy blue while the face mask is a bright beige. Putting these two images in the artwork next to each other creates great contrast between the two. When the contrast is applied the face-mask is highlighted, bringing attention to the mask upon first glance. Since the hands reach toward the flashing figure it gives the face a superior or an idol-like appearance. The color scheme applied to the piece is similar to that of an advertisement. Usually in ads, the item that is being presented is the main focus of the picture and only the positive effects of the item is shown. Opposed to the item, those who are wanting the item appear sad, lonely, or grim due to the fact that the item is not in their possession. It is almost as if the artist is trying to show the viewer how items can be seen as great and the solution to society's dilemma and because of this society will stop at nothing to rid themselves of their problems with this item. 

The point of adding color is not only for the sake of focusing the audience’s attention, but also to spark emotion. Emotions give life to the painting. This is due to the fact that emotion personally connects the reader to the art. Emotions are accompanied by important memories that were occurring that caused this certain feeling to be felt. When the viewer feels the emotion caused by various colors in the artwork it causes them to remember those memories, good or bad, and relates them to the piece. For instance, the color blue signifies depression and despair. When this color is viewed and the emotion associated with it is felt, the viewer will remember another time when they felt this sadness and how they strive to not feel this feeling again. The bright beige coloring of the face-mask is associated with positivity and happiness, causing the audience to remember a time when they felt this. This memory is favored over the depressing experience. The fact that these depressed hands are reaching for this positive object makes the audience believe that these hands are wanting the positivity that this face possesses. When this is seen the viewer feels that if this happiness, or this advertised object, is not obtained then they will be depressed like the hands, and feel just as they did in their memory. The artist incorporates this technique into the work because it shows the impact that advertisements set up like this have on society. Ads that are trying to get the public to buy an aspect make the viewer feel as though they will feel left out, unhappy, or irritated because they do not have this item. They also then proceed to include showings of people that are paid to look happy with the object, making the viewer of the ad want this happiness they possess.

The artist chooses to use other techniques in the artwork to get the message across. Symbolism, for example, is also applied. The fact that emotions and different shades are added to the painting and connects the audience to personal experience make the piece more realistic. When these objects in the painting are made realistic it is easy for the viewer to relate the object to real life elements. For example, when the emotion of depression  is triggered by the blue hands the viewer associates themselves and others with the hands. This connection is made because the viewer is forced to believe that they, and others that have felt or are depressed, need the highlighted object to prevent or suppress this feeling of unhappiness, just as the hands do. Due to this, the highlighted face, showing positivity, is seen as the “happiness” that those depressed people search for. Since the face is a mask, an object, a thing it can be associated with an advertised item is said to give these people feeling, or have felt, despair joy.

Society highlights objects as the key to happiness, only doing this to make more money. People who are searching for joy, then turn to these advertised objects to find joy, making the items idols, stopping at nothing to obtain these things. Often times, these things do not bring happiness, and causes those who want to be happy more distress. This then leads to people who lack content to search for other advertised things that they are told will rid themselves of this unhappiness. This creates an endless cycle of  society running after objects to achieve this pleasure of positivity, also known as materialism.  Artwork can be used to represent this concept. The purpose of this is to inform or to entertain the audience. In this painting, the artist shows the effects of society’s highlight on objects by using color, emotion and symbolism. 