I make art to combat apathy, provoke consciousness and unite people around humanitarian or political issues. Art can play a subversive role in society, offering an alternative narrative to the dominant culture. Traditionally, visual artists, especially in the United States, have been taught that political themes will devalue their work. University programs have largely ignored the history of posters and murals in their curriculum and critics often dismiss political art as "bad" because it is "propaganda." However one feels about the subject, the fact of the matter is this: Art is about life, and politics affects every aspect of life on this planet.
   Many governments see the power of art to incite revolution as a threat. Honoré Daumier was often jailed for his political caricatures, and many German Expressionists, such as Otto Dix, John Heartfield, Kathe Kolwitz and George Grosz, were forced to flee their homeland or abandon their socially conscious art. Nowadays, conservative politicians continue to cut funds for political art, deeming it dangerous and immoral.
   Propaganda in democratic societies takes more subtle forms. A massive media and corporate culture now inundates the global environment. In order to compete, many artists and activists have banded together to start culture jamming organizations like Adbust ers and the Billboard Liberation Front. Through subvertising and media hoaxing, they raise awareness of critical political issues. Other artists, such as Jenny Holzer, The Guerrilla Girls and Barbara Krueger, incorporate commercial processes of mass production in order to communicate important social concerns much in the same way.
   These artists have had an enormous impact on my work, along with a rich history of poster and protest art from around the world. Art belongs to the masses and not only in galleries or museums. I take my art to the street in order to make my voice heard by all people and to challenge the assumption that art and politics do not mix.
Karen Fiorito