Disturbing (But Amazing) Pictures Expose

The Absurdities Of Modern Culture

*Warning: Graphic Images*
December 15, 2014 by Jeff Roberts

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One of my first thoughts after coming across these illustrations was how have I never seen
this artists work before?, because they are freaking amazing.
Few too many artists today have the courage to tackle important social commentaries with
their art. But Spanish artist Luis Quiles has undoubtedly broken this mold with his series of
illustrations that depict a relevant and unfortunate reality for our world today.
Through his art, Quiles challenges a wide range of controversial issues ranging from overthe-counter drug addiction, censorship and corruption to sexism, violence, child abuse, and
most pertinent of all, our cultural social-media-crazed obsession.
There is something raw and hauntingly telling about the commentaries being expressed
through each illustration, perhaps in part due to the apparent truth that exists in the

messages. Many of them are difficult to look at, but all of them stand as an accurate
representation of the conundrums which plague our world today.
Take your time with this one to enjoy these fantastic pieces of art! And lastly, viewer
discretion is advised.
*Edit: Art is open to subjective interpretation, and these are just my interpretations of Quiless
art. Feel free to share your take on the illustrations in the comment section below!

The force-feeding of cheap food to the docile and lethargic public.

With the cost of living continuing to rise at a rapid pace, and an economy which,
especially in the U.S., is pushing more and more people into the lower socioeconomic bracket, many families and students are basically being force-fed fast and
cheap food as their only financial option. Proper nutrition keeps us running at our

optimal cognitive and energetic capacities, a lack of nutrition keeps a nation lethargic
and docile.

The censorship of free-thought and the consequences which follow

voicing our opinion.

In a nation stating itself to be free, its interesting how many laws, regulations and
fear programs exist which limit our choices and thoughts. One can get locked away

simply for defying their governments belief systems. Im curious how long people will
continue to let this censorship take place.

Religions helping hand in poverty.

Its no secret that the predominant religious institutions are some of the wealthiest
bodies in our world today. Yet even among all of the collections of gold and assets,
their high-stakes morals, and their claim to be the worlds path to salvation, the
religious institutions have failed to help solve the poverty pandemic worldwide. This is
something they surely have the finances to, at the very least, drastically reduce.
Ironically enough, many of the developing nations of people are enveloped in the lure
of organized religion, following the teachings ever so diligently without drawing a
connection to the fact that these religious institutions have the means to help, but
simply are not.
How female sexuality is used to divert the attention of a hormone-driven population of
men.

Its rampant throughout all forms of media today. The hyper-sexualized image of
women, used to stimulate a testosterone-driven population of men. Not only is this
prevalent in the media but it is also commonly witnessed in various aspects of
modern-day culture.
For example, many restaurants or lounges force girls to wear skirts, heals, even
boots, all to appeal to a specific audience. Female pop stars and celebrities are also
usually exploited sexually in the mainstream media. Just another example of the
dominating male influences at the top of the ladder.

Generation Notification'; the social media crazed population.

Social media has undoubtedly changed our way of connecting through the world wide
web, but whether or not this was for the better is debatable by many. Today we see a
high percentage of youth and adults literally addicted to their phones, iPads, or
laptops. Its almost beginning to move towards the physical merging of technology
and man, where the line between social media reality and the everyday reality is
continuously becoming blurred.
There are now multiple social media platforms available for people to get lost in, many
of which are great at wasting our time aimlessly scrolling through a never-ending

news feed. How will this relationship with social media continue to grow in the coming
years? Im somewhat nervous to find out

The innocent casualties of unnecessary war.

How anyone could continue to harm completely innocent civilians is something I will
never understand. Children growing up around the devastation of war are
often subject to the by-product of war arms, i.e., radiation and firearm-induced
amputation. Whether one supports the war on terror or not, one cant argue the
absurdity of killing innocent children in the name of defending ones own country.

The cut-throat power money holds over the people.

With the way the system is currently set up, its almost as if people are intentionally
pit against one another like a giant game of survival of the fittest. Like the famous line
states, the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer. Practically every
industry today is fueled by financial gain. People are willing to step on whoever they
need to in the name of money.
Most unfortunate of all, we see financial interests literally wiping out the planet,
destroying ecosystems and wildlife at an unsustainable pace. How did a made-up
value system come to be the eventual downfall of the entire planet? Will mankind
wake-up to its own insanity before its too late?

How professional athletes are used as products.

Enough said.

How pharmaceuticals are both turning a population into zombies and

killing us at a not-so-slow pace.

The Times analysis of 2009 death statistics showed:

For the first time ever in the US, more people were killed by drugs than motor
vehicle accidents
37,485 people died from drugs, a rate fueled by overdoses on prescription pain
and anxiety medications, versus 36,284 from traffic accidents
Drug fatalities more than doubled among teens and young adults between 2000
and 2008, and more than tripled among people aged 50 to 69
These facts are based off of legal prescription drug statistics. An estimated 450,000
preventable medication-related adverse events occur in the U.S. every year. The costs
of adverse drug reactions to society are more than $136 billion annually greater
than the total cost of cardiovascular or diabetic care. Looking over records from 1976
to 2006, researchers found 62 million death certificates related to prescription drugs,
almost a quarter-million of these deaths were coded as having occurred in a hospital
setting due to medication errors. How is this considered normal?
These pictures do a fantastic job at getting you thinking about widely-accepted yet absurd
facets of our world today. Its safe to say that Luis Quiles is a brave, artistic genius. To see
more of his work, check out his webpageHERE.