Art and Politics Inside Capitalism

Art & Politics Inside Capitalism

From working class to super star, artists find themselves uniquely positioned within the capitalist framework. Their labor blurs the boundaries of class distinction and can be wielded powerfully to promote systemic change or reinforce the elitist status quo. Like an honest mirror, art lets us see all our imperfections, contradictions, and brutal truths. This exchange is meant to be an exploration of how the value of art and artists function within our contemporary social framework- from emerging local artist, to Pinterest mom, to balloon dog millionaire.

Participating Artists:

Alanna Austin

Jared Barbick

Marie Dixon

Nicole Ellis

Amy Foltz

Matthew Hopson-Walker

Mario Kiran

the Mayor

Shara Mercado Poole

Tonyefa Oyake

Patricia Phare-Camp

Sage Stanley

Vickie Tran

An Truong

Summer Ventis

Claire White

Click on images below to enlarge & find more info about each artist:

Jared Barbick - American Democracy

screen print - 14" x 11"

“ABOUT THE PRINT: (Two color screen print) This print addresses the racism and corruption that persists within the American justice system. Judges are ever increasingly exemplifying that they are puppets, robots, entities that are controlled by the highest bidder or person with the deepest pockets, or racial power. This piece sadly is emblematic of what the justice system also has been and continues to be - a system engineered for wealthy whites and controlled by wealthy whites. Systematic ethical sterility and overt bias.

ABOUT THE INK: The ink choice resembles money and the silver metallic ink in some lights makes the image almost disappear and in other lights the image is as clear as day. This was intentional. The way the ink works is symbolic of justice working. Visible some of the time and not visible at other times." -Jared Barbick

IG: @jaredbarbick
FB: Jared Barbick

the Mayor - Consumption of Nature, Enjoy Safely

screen print - 11" x 14"

“The corporation and the consumer act as flip sides of the same coin of how our environment is used for development and consumption. In “Enjoy Safely” I am reminding the consumer of the power they have given these companies by consuming their products and how these corporations have taken advantage of their resources. The damage is not only done by these corporations, but what the consumer does as well with the products that are consumed and discarded into our oceans, landfills, and into our very bloodstream. My hope is that we can find a balance in our modern society to enjoy nature safely with our human innovations, and that our generation can manifest ways to create a solution to our consumption of nature.”
–the Mayor