Le Rire: Zuckerberg leaves the world to its own devices

Art Hazelwood

In his article “An Artist for the Moment,” Paul Von Blum, now Senior Lecturer in African American Studies and Communication Studies at UCLA, wrote about Art Hazelwood and this image:

“Hazelwood’s highly detailed woodcuts, etchings, lithographs, and book projects make him the legitimate heir of major political artists including Posada, Kollwitz, Daumier, and Goya. His recent works respond in imaginative ways to the present crises and the barbaric “leaders” who have created them….

In another recent work, Hazelwood pays homage to the late nineteenth century Parisian weekly humor magazine 'Le Rire' (or “Laughter”). This notable periodical featured such iconic artists as Théophile Steinlen, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Juan Gris, and many others. This strikingly contemporary version, "Zuckerberg Leaves the World to its Own Devices", calls attention to one of the most insidious developments in the digital era.

Hazelwood’s devastating artistic critique lays bare the real function of Facebook and its dynamic young founder Mark Zuckerberg. Here, the social media magnate is shown flying over the world’s population, money bags in hand, left to “its own devices.” This reflects Zuckerberg’s oft-repeated platitudes about “free expression” and the “marketplace of ideas.” Those ritual incantations are designed merely as a cover. Facebook’s real purpose is the same as that of all mega-corporate enterprises: the accumulation of profit.”