Written by DCist contributor Abby Lavin.

Last year’s rioting in response to Danish drawings of the prophet Muhammad showed that, in some cases, cartoons are no laughing matter. They don’t just lampoon the political landscape; they have the power to shape it as well. Provisions Library’s current exhibit, Drawing Back: Cartoon Critiques of America, examines the power of cartoons as a means of social protest.

Culled from twenty-five different countries, the 80 editorial cartoons are grouped together by their country of origin, and are mostly similar in their treatment of the U.S.’s hot-button political issues: Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq war, and gay marriage, to name a few. The cartoons are also a good reminder of the universal appeal of a juicy scandal: Who knew that Australians enjoy making fun of Monica Lewinsky just as much as we do?

From its foreign policy to Bush’s chimpanzee resemblance, the current administration has certainly given artists great fodder for political satire. The cartoonists showcased at Provisions make the most of it, offering witty send-ups of the state of our nation. The most incisive work comes from Israel’s Michel Kichka, a children’s book illustrator who moonlights as a cartoonist for Jerusalem’s Telad.

One of Kichka’s best cartoons depicts a confused, childlike Dubya attempting to choose between the three outfits in his closet: a cowboy getup, an Uncle Sam costume, or papal vestments. The drawing aptly sums up Bush’s faith-based domestic politics and “Let’s Roll” brand of foreign policy in a simple, yet original way.

Image courtesy of Cartoon Art International/CWS.