Robbie Conal and Karen Fiorito: How Political Art Fuels Activism [Podcast]

Art has the power to disrupt the status quo, challenge authority, and ignite social change. Just ask today’s guests, whose provocative artworks have sparked conversation in the political realm for decades. In today's episode, we welcome legendary provocateur Robbie Conal and activist artist Karen Fiorito to discuss the transformative power of political art.

Robbie, best known for his clever street posters that skewer corrupt politicians, has spent over three decades turning city streets into a canvas for social change. Karen, curator of the annual political exhibition Indivisible 2024, is the fearless creator of controversial billboards. She joins the conversation to share her experience pushing boundaries and challenging authority with bold public art. Together, Robbie and Karen dive into the wild world of street art, the legal and personal risks that come with it, and how humor can serve as the ultimate weapon in activism.

They also share crucial advice for those creating art in public spaces, including their best tips for staying optimistic. From stories of death threats to the power of collaboration in political art, this episode is a treasure trove of laughter, fearless perspectives, and fresh insights into how art can catalyze change. Tune into our conversation with Karen Fiorito and Robbie Conal to get inspired to create some good trouble.

Key Points From This Episode:

How Indivisible 2024 and Karen’s solo show, Sign Language, were received by the public
Robbie’s take on humor as a weapon and the relationship his work forges with its audience
Karen’s billboard collaborations with the Grand Avenue Arts District’s Beatrice Moore
Critical advice for street artists that emphasizes the importance of having a legal backup
Optimism in activism: staying positive about public art’s power to drive change
The controversy surrounding Karen's Trump billboards and the death threats she's received
Why the personal threats faced by political artists are often markers of impactful art
How Karen “lawyered up" after CNN issued a cease and desist over her Trump billboard
Public art post 9/11, the rise of the childless cat lady meme, and increased threats to women
Robbie teases an exhibition at Subliminal Projects featuring a portrait of Kamala Harris
Why typefaces and graphic design are major assets in a political artist’s arsenal

Quotes:

“One thing about art, and especially art about social and political issues established in a public setting, is once it's out there, it has its own relationship with the audience, with whoever sees it. The artist has no control over that.” — @robbieconal [0:06:22]

“You want as much contextual information [as you can get] when you're going out into the streets, and you want backup. Legal backup. [That’s] something I've learned and something I try to tell all the guys and gals out there who are doing public street art.” — @robbieconal [0:12:48]

“If everybody liked my work, I'd be doing something wrong.” — @robbieconal [0:23:14]

“There's free speech, and then there's core political speech. – When you're talking about a president or somebody like that, that's even more protected under the Constitution.” — Karen Fiorito [0:29:52]

“[Women] are sick and tired of it. We're sick and tired of the misogyny online, and that's why the [childless cat lady] thing is so big right now.” — Karen Fiorito [0:37:59]

Longer Quotes:

“Even though everything [street artists] do is inherently political, it's not always consciously political. It's not always conscious of the larger sociopolitical context, the cultural context that surrounds us and that we are definitely a part of. That can get you if you don't take a few steps back and look at the larger picture when designing your art, especially public art. Not that it should inhibit you, but it is very useful to be conscious of the soup you're diving into.” — Robbie Conal [0:32:18]

“When I got death threats, I felt like, ‘Oh, poor me,’ but then I realized everybody gets death threats. When I had journalists come into my home interviewing me, they're like, ‘Yeah, we got death threats too,’ and then I heard about all these artists getting death threats. I was like, ‘Oh, everyone's getting death threats now.' It's just a thing we do now.” — Karen Fiorito [0:37:22]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Indivisible 2024 — https://creweststudio.com/indivisible-2024/

Karen Fiorito — https://www.karenfiorito.me/

Karen Fiorito on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenfiorito/

Karen Fiorito on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/karenfiorito/

Karen Fiorito on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@KarenFiorito/

Sign Language Artist Talk — https://youtu.be/AzmrIvSLOQw

Robbie Conal — https://robbieconal.com/

Robbie Conal on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/robbieconal/

Robbie Conal on X — https://x.com/robbieconal

Robbie Conal Email — robbie@robbieconal.com

TAG Gallery — https://www.taggallery.net/