Know Your Place

In Know Your Place, the candy bars stand in as emblems of labor, value, and aspiration. A solitary 100 Grand bar rests brightly at the top—symbolizing wealth and the promise of financial success—while three PayDay bars sit below, obscured in shadow. One of them inches upward, bearing a smear of red paint across its surface, evoking both urgency and danger.
 
This composition speaks to the illusion of upward mobility within rigid class structures. The red paint suggests sacrifice or warning—hinting that attempts to rise may come at a cost or be ultimately punished. Through this seemingly playful arrangement, the painting questions the meritocratic myth and challenges viewers to consider who controls access to prosperity—and who is kept in their place.