Satire uses humor and exaggeration to call attention to the faults of people or ideas. When effectively deployed, satire can serve as a cutting form of critique through visual art, and can add a humorous edge to emotionally charged visual imagery. The use of satire in art has a long history. During the Protestant Reformation, artists made satirical prints criticizing the Catholic Church and in particular the Pope, who was represented as a grotesque, avaricious figure. Such prints were made in large editions so they could be widely distributed, provoking sympathy for the cause they supported. Eighteenth century English painter and printmaker William Hogarth used his work to satirize class differences, populating his pictures with caricatures of the flawed modern citizen, while lampooning the systemic inequality that forced them into that position.

The legacy of Hogarth and others lives on through the cutting work of contemporary satirical artists. British artist David Shrigley’s graphic work often incorporates text for a laugh-out-loud funny take on the strange and often overlooked aspects of contemporary life. His naive style of drawing serves to enhance his commentary, giving it a sense of candor. Like Shrigley, American artist Raymond Pettibon also frequently includes text in his artworks, which criticize contemporary American politics, war, and culture. Pettibon fits into an artistic lineage including Hogarth, Goya and others who used their work to ridicule those in power. Some artists have used their work to satirize the media, and specifically the way women are represented in mass culture. Photographer Laurie SimmonsWalking Objects series, for example, depicts inanimate objects with human legs in a criticism of the way the female body is frequently commoditized. Many other contemporary artists use satire in their practices, including Richard Prince, Scott King, Hito Steyerl, and Jake and Dinos Chapman.