Count the Cost

MJ Nelson

30″ x 38″

Silkscreen on Paper

This hand-made silkscreen reinterprets the everyday barcode as a graphic and conceptual form, drawing from the legacy of Pop Art and postwar conceptual practices that elevated commercial symbols into subjects of artistic inquiry. Rendered in contrasting yellow and blue, the vertical bands create a rhythmic composition that oscillates between abstraction and legibility.

The silkscreen process reveals subtle variations in ink density and line registration, reinforcing the physical presence of the hand against what is typically a symbol of mechanical precision and mass production. By isolating and repeating the barcode, the work shifts its meaning from utility to contemplation, inviting reflection on systems of value, circulation, and identity. Both minimal and visually assertive, the piece resonates with collectors interested in conceptual rigor and interiors that favor graphic clarity and modern cultural references.