The Hoax

Jenny Schmid’s “Pandemic Pandemonium, ” a suite of six linocuts, is a parody of the anti-science rhetoric and deeply flawed response of the U.S. government to the coronavirus pandemic of 2019-21. Starring former President Donald Trump, environmental activist Greta Thunberg, the Grim Reaper, the Devil, and a cast of mask-averse Americans, the series puts into stark terms the country’s deep political and cultural divisions and the deadly consequences of ignoring basic public health guidelines. Inspired by the centuries-old graphic tradition of political and social satire, the series functions as a visual protest and personal statement of Schmid’s political views. A frontline medical worker, who dons personal protective equipment, appears in the folio’s introductory image as a symbol of the sobering challenges faced in battling a global pandemic.