The Spanish Civil War was a deep and painful chasm splitting the country as the Nationalists, led by Francisco Franco and backed by fascist powers in Italy and Nazi Germany, fought and succeeded in overpowering the Republicans, who were supported by the Soviet Union and International Brigades from Europe and the United States.

A documentary called The Spanish Earth, filmed by Joris Iven, featuring narration by Ernest Hemingway and edited by Helen van Dongen, with input from John Dos Passos and others, did in fact come to be in 1937. Yet, continually reminding us that this is not a history play, Jen Silverman plucks just a fragment of truth from the events surrounding that movie to create this script.

Silverman instead focuses on art. On our responsibilities as artists. On what it means to inform, persuade, even manipulate as art can suggest, hint, and insinuate fact or fiction, encouraging ideologies and promoting beliefs. The arts have held political power in all of their forms throughout history and are even more influential when used as propaganda. In the past, it was a seemingly simple poster of Uncle Sam looking us in the eye and saying, “I Want You for U.S. Army.” Today, it is reflected in an AI manipulated image of a civil rights lawyer to appear like she was sobbing as she was arrested for protesting ICE in Minneapolis.

While closely linked as a key four-dimensional warfare, along with military, economy, and politics, propaganda has shape shifted. It can be used for good – to inspire change or action – and for evil – to brainwash or gaslight. And thus, timeless questions pulsate throughout this story. What is our responsibility as artists and our relationship with our audience? How do we fit into the greater conversation of complicity or persuasion? As our worlds have expanded, yet narrowed, through the age of the internet, we each continue to be a part of this cycle as users and creators. Different news websites report opposite versions of the same story, algorithms push agendas, and ChatGPT alters realities.

It is almost overwhelming to pick apart all of the ways the world is trying to influence us. And it has become harder and harder to differentiate truth from opinion and fact from fiction. There is a reason “Death to the Intelligentsia” is an infamous slogan used by many fascist regimes. Yet, art still holds power. As we break through the noise, the ability to create is a necessity and our impact as artists on humanity will continue to be everlasting.