AI slop and the degradation of political art in the internet age

The swift evolution of modern conflicts has rendered immediate visual protest almost unfeasible, resulting in a surge of AI-generated images that lack depth and attribution. Images depicting Donald Trump as Jesus, styled like a typical Christian young-adult novel, have infiltrated the visual language of his administration, inciting backlash even from his own MAGA supporters. In another instance, YouTube has removed viral AI-generated Lego videos featuring militarized Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) figures rapping against US and Israeli actions due to violent content; Explosive Media, the creators, acknowledged the Iranian government as a client. The author juxtaposes this with the 2013 Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, where Turkish demonstrators employed inventive language and creativity, while contemporary political art struggles to resonate beyond transient Instagram popularity, as social media algorithms prioritize engagement over substance. The forthcoming Venice Biennale may serve as a contentious platform, yet the US pavilion's selection of a non-political artist is significant. The internet's decline—its 'enshittification'—reduces political art to mere parody, devoid of enduring digital significance. AI-generated content from both US and Iranian authorities lacks permanence, acting as mere pieces on an endless chessboard, diminishing propaganda's intellectual and artistic weight.