Siavash Golkar is a NYC-based visual artist whose work is inspired by the economics of social interactions. With the modern human population increasingly concentrated in metropolises, the most abundant resource is people. Economic theory dictates that with increased availability perceived value declines. What does this imply for an individual’s worth? Through surrealist oil paintings that disjoint and disrupt the figure, Golkar’s work explores questions of self-worth as well as perceived value of the other. The paintings render impossible human anatomies: a human hand replaces the figure’s head; split the torso to reveal a hollow interior. Symbols such as disembodied mouths, destinationless windows, and hollowed torsos visualize the increasing sense of loss we experience in modern society. In this way, the works highlight the clash between superficiality of interactions and internal pretenses. Golkar’s process entails early sketches followed by digital manipulation of photos from staged photoshoots with friends or strangers. These sketches and photos are then combined and used as the basis for the final oil painting.