Barato: A North American Community Project

Artist Statement

This digital image is still too small to see everything in the work. I will try to post a larger image soon. I packed this work with so much information because working with this community overwhelmed me with so many new insights. I learned that NAFTA is the "big weather system" that allows sunshine to fall on a few and rain on many more. I feel like this conference allowed me to stick my head above the clouds and see the larger picture.

The couple in the center are dancing; a metaphore for the cooperation being attempted through NAFTA. The man in the strips is enthusiastic about the dance, the women is less so- notice her open and empty hand. The child on her back holds the Canadan Maple leaf. This refers the issue of NAFTA's effect on Canada's attempt to start a state supported, universal daycare system; something that foreign corporations are muscling into by using the rules of NAFTA. The pollution being dumped refers to NAFTA's Chapter 11 rules which have allowed corporations to sue nations for blocking business practices- even ones that pollute within their boarders. The man on the bottom is the common worker, who, along the environment are the losers within the NAFTA success story. The TV advertises "CHEAP" items for the consumer, while the worker wears a bandana that says the same thing. The faces in the clouds represent the network of corporate heads who maintain an influencial web of contacts and who shpaed NAFTA to meet their needs. In my work their mouths feed the stomachs of their other peers. There is much more symbolism in this drawing, but I'll leave those for you to discover.

Maybe more polical cartoon than art, I still learned a lot in making this work and believe it will influence my future painting in a positive way.

-- Todd Drake