Book Review
The Preposterous History of Propaganda Art
Propagandopolis, a globe-spanning selection of visual persuasions from the early 20th century to now, is a travelogue to disinformation’s past.
propaganda
Art
When Shakespeare Lured Soldiers to Battle
Beloved by kings and generals, Shakespeare’s lines have always found their way into powerful hands — and been employed to violent ends.
News
Documenta Artists “Outraged” Over Censorship of Pro-Palestine Films
An open letter co-signed by 100 individuals and organizations says the festival’s advisory council has miscast any criticism of Israel as antisemitic.
News
Visual Propaganda of Hate Groups Is on the Rise in America
While their numbers decline, hate and anti-government groups have found their way into American mainstream politics, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Film
Contrasting Histories of Genocide in Former Yugoslavia
Dara of Jasenovac and Quo Vadis, Aida? take different tacts on filmic representation of war crimes.
Art
The International Spy Museum Seen Through the Eyes of a Human Rights Expert
"This feels like a loss," said Andrea Prasow of Human Rights Watch while touring the museum, flagging several errors in how curators have presented the history of torture and interrogation.
Art
Vintage “Soviet Santa” Postcards Were Propaganda for the Space Race
Vintage Soviet postcards reveal a sophisticated political project, one that uses the allure of nostalgia to create a vision of a utopian, space-age future.
Interview
Dictator Selfies and a Superhero Trailer: Glimpses of the New Propaganda from Trump's Recent Summits
Propaganda continues to evolve and the latest version, used by the Trump administration during the Singapore meeting, looks to corporate communications for pointers.
Art
After Charlottesville, an Anti-Fascist US Military Film from 1947 Goes Viral
The 17-minute film, "Don't Be a Sucker," offers some timely advice in light of recent events — though it hasn't aged perfectly by any means.
Books
The Graphic Persuasiveness of 20th-Century Communist Posters
The first major survey of communist poster art considers the visual legacy of propaganda graphic design in nations around the world.
Art
The Octopus, a Motif of Evil in Historical Propaganda Maps
Since the 19th century, the motif of an octopus on propaganda maps has represented the inhuman spread of evil, its tentacles grasping for land and power.
Art
Maps Made to Influence and Deceive
Some maps are not designed to chart geography, but to express a particular belief.