Wal-Mart workers are getting ready to challenge the global retail giant. And in this David and Goliath showdown, Black Friday–the frontlines of the nation’s yearly consumerist paroxysm–is an appropriate battleground. And every battle needs some good agit prop. We’re pleased to present the work of our comrades Favianna Rodriguez, Julio Salgado and Gan Golan, representing CultureStrike and Art is My Occupation, in a nationwide campaign to add some color to the labor struggles at Wal-Mart. Here are just a few samples. You can find the whole array of prints, posters and parodies at their tumblr, Artists Vs. Walmart. And of course, you can contribute your own art as well.
Remember, kids: Wal-Mart’s evil corporate empire has universal reach, but very localized impacts. The company’s pattern of abusive working conditions disproportionately affects poor communities of color–particularly when they employ massive numbers of Latinos, and then engage in shady political dealings that help fuel anti-immigrant legislation. Not to mention, Wal-Mart’s exploitative transnational penetration into both the labor markets and retail markets of “emerging” economies around the world like China and Mexico. The way to advance this struggle is to make workers’ demand for justice as much of a global brand as the Wal-Mart name itself. These artists are inverting Wal-Mart’s iconography to expose the true cost of those low prices.
Lalo Alcaraz, click here to download high res version, or permalink.
And here are some poster-sized images; instant print-outs you can use to lure Black Friday shoppers away from the store and onto the solidarity line at your local Wal-Mart branch.
Julio Salgado, click here to download 11×17 in. pdf. or permalink.
Fiona Avocado, click here to download the 11×17 poster or permalink.
ED, click here to download 11×17 in. poster
Wal-Vaggio by Art Hazelwood & Jos Sances, click here to download 11×17 in. pdf