The Interview Project: A Q&A with Artist Karen Fiorito

One of the benefits of writing for the Office of Intellectual Freedom, this past year, has been to recognize the amazing work done by a variety of people who continually promote and protect the right of free expression in this country. The work of advocating, facilitating and protecting intellectual freedoms is important activity, and is often carried out by everyday people. I thought it would be useful to speak with those whose work is dependent on intellectual freedom, and how libraries impact who they are and what they do. I was able to interview a teacher, a historian and an artist for this writing project. Any errors in transcription are my own, all three guests to our blog were unfailingly generous with their time. Biography: Karen Fiorito is an artist residing in Los Angeles. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally and featured in many publications such as Art in America, Art Forum and Hyperallergic. Her art works can also be seen in textbooks, such as American Women Artists in Wartime, Paper Politics: Socially Engaged Printmaking Today and The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes. Fiorito has received international media attention for her Trumpocalypse billboard in Phoenix, Arizona. She has received many grants for her public art projects, including a Pollination Project Grant, A Well Fed World Grant and a LUSH Charity Pot Grant. Another current public art project, Got Drought?, toured California from 2015-2017 and will debut in Phoenix in October