Happily Whatever You’re After is a body of work exploring how the concepts and values within fairytales still influence aspects of current society. My images respond to this by suggesting advertising uses the marketing of products to incorporate these ideas, and it can be seen in the wider visual culture. More specifically, how archaic allegorical themes have continued into contemporary ideas of desire which determine how our identity and notions of self are constructed.
Fairytales are often set in places of uncertainty, in a medieval past where ideas of chivalry and belief in magic were common. Tropes of love, power and beauty were often used to reinforce concepts of morality. The symbols used in these tales can be seen in everyday life from common speech to films and advertising, and are filled with these associated values. The use of certain objects and ideas perpetuate the accompanying values and these have become normalised, reinforcing older themes of morality and providing an unconscious influence on the development and beliefs of individuals.