Arizona artist receiving death threats over controversial anti-Trump billboard

[riversedge]

Source: raw story





19 Mar 2017 at 09:40 ET


The artist behind an Arizona billboard attacking President Donald Trump claims she is now the subject of death threats after news and photos of her creation went national.

According to AzCentral, artist Karen Fiorito knew she would get a strong reaction for her work which went up of Friday and depicts Trump accompanied by mushroom clouds and stylized Nazi swastikas combined with dollar signs. On the reverse side, the billboard displays the word “Unity” with five hands spelling out the word in sign language.

While Fiorita expected flack she didn’t anticipate the flood of threats against not only herself but her family.

“I’ve been called a communist, a Satan worshiper,” Fiorita explained. “I’ve been told I’m a ‘very, very sick person.’ I’m not sure what that means. I haven’t been answering the phone. My husband has because he’s not afraid to talk to anyone, but he told me he received a couple death threats this morning. … He said, ‘They were coming to get us with their boys.’ ”

Fiorito explained that she was commissioned by a local art gallery to create the artwork that was blown up to billboard size and displayed in downtown Phoenix during an art festival........................





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Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/arizona-artist-receiving-death-threats-over-controversial-anti-trump-billboard/

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This AZ story has a few other pieces of her work. I do hope nothing happens to her.





http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2017/03/18/anti-trump-billboard-artist-receives-death-threats/99349252/




A billboard sign depicting President Donald Trump's face next to explosions and dollar signs created with typography imitating Nazi swastikas went up in downtown Phoenix on March 17, 2017. (Photo: Johana Restrepo/The Republic)

[Chicago1980]

1. She should have expected that.

First, we're talking crazy ass conservative confederates.

Second, it's Aryanzona.

[riversedge]

3. I hope we are not to the point of normalizing death threats (to be clear, I am not

talking about you or your post).

[Chicago1980]

15. Normalizing? It's not norma, but it's also not unexpected.

Folks are calling David K. Johnston's home because of the tax thing.

These hardcore Trumpeters are fucking nuts and we both know it.

[marybourg]

8. Your image of AZ is quite distorted.

Why don't you come and pay us a visit and see the diverse faces of the Southwest. (Try to come this month before it get really hot )

[Chicago1980]

16. Been there before, though it's been awhile.

I think you know I wasn't speaking of every person in the state

[Kimchijeon]

17. Yeah I am sure she had to expect it

I love the billboard, and think it'd be great to plaster it everywhere in solidarity.

It's a powerful image.

[Dave Starsky]

2. Someone told her she's "a very, very sick person"?

So Trump himself has been calling her? It wouldn't surprise me.

[2naSalit]

6. Ha!

That's exactly what I thought when I read that part.

[lastlib]

7. Probably John Baron.

[dalton99a]

4. I bet the Trump trash are planning to vandalize her billboard

[ailsagirl]

11. I was just going to say...

I bet you're right

Won't take long, either

[Augiedog]

5. This artist deserves the Medal of Freedom

[RKP5637]

9. There are an awful lot of people in the US I can't stand and she is NOT one of them. And

Arizona. I hear such horrible things about Arizona anymore. I don't think I would ever venture into Arizona these days. The US has so many pockets of horrible hatred! I knew some people that left parts of Michigan, they said where they had lived was so filled with hatred they feared for their lives. And this ass in the WH just fuels it all. What a horrible place the DICK is turning the US into.

[Hoyt]

10. Hope she and all Trump critics get protection from white wing Trump supporters. She's a true patriot

[Hortensis]

12. Well, definitely over the line for me. I may call his crowd

nazis on DU when something they plan horrifies me, but doing THAT to everyone unfortunate enough to have to pass it is rather hateful in itself. Nuclear explosions yes, swastikas no.

Of course hateful nutcases would over-react to it in their own special ways, and I suspect the artist expected it. Let her take the new fame this has brought her and deal with it.

[kimbutgar]

13. Those who threaten like to use words but are really cowards who hide behind their words

[bucolic_frolic]

14. She is brave

Her and her husband must be prepared to stand their ground.

Free speech, except when it disagrees with the fascists

[radhika]

18. Support her: I purchased her Buddha Cat Madala yesterday

Her work can be seen at Saatchi Online, and is available for purchase. We can't protect her vs the crazies, but we can sure help with her livelihood. I like the work I ordered, and it was within budget.

Artist need us, and we need them. Made a personal decision last year to look for ways to support the actual creator, whenever possible.

https://www.saatchiart.com/kfiorito

[BootinUp]

19. The people making threats can dish it out

But can't take it. They are morally and mentally bankrupt.