Scott Listfield’s Post-Apocalyptic Paintings Are Transfixing

It’s hard not to be captivated by Scott Listfield’s post-apocalyptic landscapes, against which a sole astronaut is seen exploring the desolated land which was once a populated planet called Earth. “I paint astronauts and, sometimes, dinosaurs,” reads his Instagram bio.

His paintings often feature pop culture icons, corporate logos, and science fiction references, forming an unnerving hybrid between the present and the distant future. In this familiar yet foreign land, his lone explorer can be seen walking through deserted malls and desolated in-and-outs.

“A surprising amount of my young life happened in or around malls, department stores, and shopping centers,” explained Listfield in an interview for Creative Boom. “But these physical spaces – the stores, buildings, signs, logos, loading docks, parking lots, and atrium fountains – are largely fading away… Before they’re gone entirely, I wanted to make some paintings about them.”

We can’t stop looking.