"Freedom - American Style" (1971) by Boris Ivanovich Prorokov created at the height of the ideological rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, exemplifies Soviet propaganda’s effort to expose perceived hypocrisies of Western capitalism.

The composition centres on the Statue of Liberty, rendered in lifeless, desaturated green tones that emphasise a sombre mood. Her sorrowful expression is accentuated by a single tear, which morphs into a police baton as it falls. The statue’s eyes contain uniformed policemen, transforming her gaze into an unsettling representation of surveillance and control. The barren cream background heightens her isolation. The bold title beneath the image, “Freedom - American Style”, reinforces the irony of the piece, framing the iconic symbol of liberty as a critique of systemic injustice.

Emerging amidst the Vietnam War, the US civil rights movement, and global anti-imperialist sentiment, the work reimagines the Statue of Liberty—a symbol of democracy and freedom—as a visual metaphor for disillusionment. By juxtaposing the ideals of liberty with the realities of oppression, Prorokov critiques systemic violence and challenges the authenticity of American democratic values. This transformation of the statue into a vehicle for satire underscores the contradictions in a society that promotes freedom while perpetuating inequality and control.

Boris Ivanovich Prorokov (1911–1972) was a prominent Soviet graphic artist who was trained at VKhUTEMAS under Dmitry Moor. Prorokov developed a distinctive style that combined graphic clarity with satirical depth. He won the Lenin Prize (1961) and two Stalin Prizes (1950, 1952). Prorokov’s works often critiqued Western ideologies while reinforcing Soviet values, making him a central figure in Cold War visual culture. Today, his posters are in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum.