On Monday, a billboard on Sepulveda Boulevard, south of Santa Monica, CA went up that included an image of a shadowy Uncle Sam figure controlling a newscaster puppet. The accompanying headline reads, “Shox News Channel: We Distort, You Comply.” The billboard, created by political artist Karen Fiorito, is said to parody monopolistic corporate media and is the second billboard created by the outspoken Fiorito who says her work is designed to explore the relationship between politics, propaganda and art.
Fiorito explains her fascination with billboards, “Art belongs to the masses, not only in galleries or museums. I take my art to the street in order to make my voice heard by all people, regardless of race or gender. Art plays a subversive role in society, offering an alternative narrative to the dominant culture. With this project, as with all of my art works, I hope to initiate a dialog in the community, not only about political issues, but also about the assumption that art and politics do not mix.”
Yikes. That’s a lot of words. We were just satisfied to see another joke played on FOX. Accompanying the billboard is a website which will solicit viewer comments. Fiorito tells us this project was made possible by a generous grant from the Puffin Foundation.
