For more than 200 years, political art has helped ignite discussion, sway votes and entertain American voters. Plymouth State University presents "American Politics 2008: A View in Prints," on display through Nov. 21 at Lamson Library.

This show displays the prints of nine northern New England artists whose works include the clever and colorful presentation of words that confront our ideas to a distinctive use of familiar political personalities and cultural icons. The exhibition is curated by David A. Beronä, director of the Lamson Library and Learning Commons.

"It is invigorating to see the enthusiasm that these artists have taken in presenting dynamic works that shake up and sometimes challenge our awareness of the political process during this important election year," said Beronä. "These works step outside the static rhetoric of commercial media, which we have all grown numb to, and makes us all ponder the important issues that shape our lives — like the war in Iraq and our economic recession — and the threatening consequence that our vote in November will have in our future."

The work of printmakers from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are presented in collaboration with the Art of Democracy, which is a national coalition of political art exhibitions taking place in the fall of 2008 on the state of the American political scene.

National exhibits and images may be viewed at www.artofdemocracy.org and selected works from this exhibit are presented at: library.plymouth.edu/exhibits/print-series.