Ocean Dream
Freedom of the Seas, Grand Celebration, Leisure World
The global cruise industry has made dream vacations available at unbelievably low prices by registering their ships in low-income countries. Workers from these nations are eager to take jobs on luxury liners when the alternative is earning a tenth of the wage back home. But while passengers enjoy ocean views and elegant suites, the crew lives in windowless cabins deep within the ship’s hull, where the constant noise and vibrations from the engine room can cause lasting damage. Twelve-hour workdays are the norm, and many go an entire season without a single day off. Working in service isn’t just physically demanding – it’s mentally exhausting. As a former service worker, I still remember the feeling of being invisible to the customer.
I welcome the visitor with a red carpet. Along one wall hang paintings of cabin windows. The sky is clear blue, the sea calm. The deeper you go into the room, the further underwater the windows appear. Three paintings in gilded frames hang in the inner room. They depict fictional stories unfolding aboard cruise ships. Each piece is named after a real cruise ship. Through surrealist painting, where dream meets reality and the conscious meets the unconscious, I try to portray a world I struggle to understand.
