We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karen Fiorito a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Karen, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

In 2017 I had a billboard design that went viral on social media and was contacted by all the major networks for a response. I made my first mistake by giving the first interview to Fox News. Not only did they get some of the facts wrong – my age, for example – but the way they characterized me was far from cordial. As the news spread, so did the rumors and conspiracy theories. People thought I paid for the billboard (which I did not) or they thought George Soros was behind it (he was not). A lot of misinformation went around for sure, and I had to obtain lawyers to protect me. It was a very difficult time. I received many death threats, and my personal information was doxed online. One thing I learned was how fast misinformation travels. I also learned that there are a lot of bullies online who have no interest in the truth. They will do whatever they can to shame you if they don’t agree with your opinion. This also made me more skeptical of the media (not that I wasn’t to begin with) and social media in particular. I saw the harm social media can do and have learned to make sure I fact check everything I read online. I also learned how to track down and delete all of my personal information online. This is something I think everyone should learn to do, regardless of one’s status or occupation.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

I have been making art – in one form or another – since I was a child. I went to the University of the Arts at 18 and majored in printmaking. I had never really heard of printmaking before entering college. I fell in love with this art form because I felt it was the most interesting, challenging and complicated of all the art forms. There are so many different processes and techniques – lithography, relief, intaglio, serigraphy – and printmaking as an art form continues to evolve and develop as more non-toxic and digital methods and tools are available. Printmaking also has a long history of being tied to political movements, social justice movements and revolutions. My work is a continuation of this tradition; I have always used my art to explore such themes as human rights, animal rights, climate change, war, the media and environmental issues.

I received my MFA in Printmaking in 2004, and from there, I moved to Los Angeles to open my own printmaking studio. I started my business, Buddha Cat Press, with zero dollars. Actually, my first month’s rent was paid for by an emergency grant from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. I grew my business through my contacts with other artists, such artists as Robbie Conal and Shepherd Fairy. I earned a reputation for my printing skills and attention to detail. A back injury in 2011 forced me to retire from contract printing, but I still publish my own work under Buddha Cat Press.

My goal was never to become a printer for other artists but to focus on my own art and activism. Since I was a child, I have been involved with many animal and environmental causes and groups. Growing up a child of a single mom and economically disadvantaged, I was always empathic and compassionate towards any individual facing poverty, classicism, racism, ableism, sexism or any other type of discrimination, including speciesism. I have also always been a fierce anti-war/pro-peace activist. I went to my first protest as a teenager against the first Iraq war (called The Gulf War.) I’ve studied politics since a young age, and politics have always been important to me and my work as an artist and curator. I often curate art exhibitions because I want to create exhibitions that engage the viewer not only aesthetically, but politically and socially. For instance, one exhibition I curated, Evolution/Revolution: The Interconnectedness of All Beings, featured gorgeous works by celebrated artists like Sue Coe and William Wegman, but it also involved panel discussions and forums on animal liberation by esteemed scholars and activists.

Not only is my art politically engaged, but it takes on many forms besides printmaking. I undertake a lot of public art projects, many of which involve billboards, murals and projections. I started using billboards in 2004 as part of my thesis exhibition and am currently woking on my 11th billboard design. This billboard is for the midterm elections. I am often asked to create a design for a specific event or cause. I think what I bring to the table with my public art is that I do not shy away from controversy. For example, I had an entire billboard campaign (20 billboards in 16 cities) devoted to the damaging effects of animal agriculture. A couple of my billboards have been directly critical of the government and the media. My projections and prints have been used in many protests, and I continue to create work to raise money for charity. Most artists don’t engage directly with the public in this way, or if they do, it is through an institution. I take my art and activism to the streets, quite literally, uncensored and unbridled.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My mission has always been to fight injustice and raise awareness about topics that I believe are critical for our survival as a species and the survival of our planet. I believe all injustices and oppressions stem from one source: our superiority complex as human beings. This feeling of supremacy towards nature and the “other” has translated into a market democracy in which all aspects of human, non-human and planetary life are commodified and in which corporations have more power than states or their citizens. I believe unfettered capitalism is the greatest threat to democracy and a sustainable planet. However, art can be a powerful tool for change, and I believe it is the responsibility of the artist to bear witness to these injustices and to hold a mirror to and shape reality.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have been making, curating and producing political art for over 30 years. The fact that I am still making socio-political artworks with little support except for some grants and a couple of collectors is a testament to my resilience. I have never sold out or bent in my beliefs. I don’t have an agent, staff or manager; I am a one-woman show. I am also vegan, which attracts a lot of negative attention and labeling. (I prefer the title eco-feminist.) Despite the trials and tribulations of having some of my work go viral and being the object of controversy myself, despite being bullied, harassed and having my life threatened, I am still here. I persist. I am having a mini-retrospective this summer at TAG Gallery in Los Angeles, and I am curating another exhibition about the connection between Speciesism, Feminism and all the ‘isms’ this Fall. I am excited to be showing new work at this exhibition alongside 9 amazing international eco-feminist artists. I also have a billboard going up in Phoenix, Arizona this June.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karenfiorito.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenfiorito/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenTheFury
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenfiorito/
• Twitter: @buddhacatpress
• Other: www.gotdrought.info