This artwork was created for the exhibition ‚TRUMPOMANIA‘, presented by Curator19.90 and Melissa McCaig-Welles at SOLOMON ARTSTribeca, New York, from March 3rd - 16, 2017.
ABOUT THE WORK
Well. I guess this is one of the toughest works I had to create in a long time. It has cost me sleep at night, way too many hours in the studio filled with the horror to carve Donald Trump into wood, a person that I deeply despise. Not just the person - I despise everything this man stands for and those who surround him all over the world: Fascist right wing white supremacy homophobic sexist hateful greedy stupid men and women that try to bring back what the sane part of the world hoped to have made redundant and overcome. Think again! The events of the past year, the past months and especially these past weeks have put a fear into my bones that keeps me up at night and makes me the very angry person again that I have been as a young ‚man‘ in the 80ies, growing up rebelling society to the soundtrack of bands such as The Exploited, Black Flag, Iggy and the Stooges, Minor Threat etc. etc. ...
I even had to carve this ugly face twice. The first version seemed to have conveyed my perspective as well, but the work was too complex and overproduced. So after a few days spent doing my head in with the image of this crazy totalitarian ruler and working not only with the chisel and paint but also applying resin, I kicked the first version out, picked up a fresh woodblock and went for this reduced, almost ‚colorless‘ image:
I stuck Donald Trumps head onto a baby in diapers wearing a fascist uniform.
Well, yes, rather simple and pretty much self-explanatory, but for me it makes the point far better this way. The screaming, crying, simple-minded but dangerous wannabe-politician, incontinent in regards to the garbage that uncontrollably spills out of his mouth, turning this world into a racist and oppressive one that serves only the purpose of his personal pleasure and increasing his wealth, no matter how terrible the consequence for others.
Damn, I am angry. I am angry even writing these lines.
Please don‘t get me wrong: I love the USA. Always have. Always will. I have travelled this beautiful country countless times, on the most amazing road trips, for pleasure and for business, to art fairs and exhibitions. I‘ve had family abroad that moved (and was welcomed) here after World War II, building themselves a future based on the ideals of the USA and the American Dream. I made wonderful and amazing friends over the past 38 (!) years since I visited for the first time. I always admired the beauty of the country and the mentality of the open-minded Americans I had the pleasure to meet. I was never there to judge - we each carry our burdens, no matter where we come from. And even though I am a politically engaged person not holding back with my opinion, I didn‘t think that stepping on the badnwagon of inflationary produced Anti-Trump-artworks would be something I would do.
But that changed when Vika, one of the curators of the exhibition TRUMPOMANIA, asked me to be the german representative in an art show that creates a dialogue between artists from over 30 countries sharing their individual position on how the Trump-Administration will affect the future of all nations.
I am grateful for the opportunity Vika Latysheva, Melissa McCaig-Welles and Charlotte Hamson gave me to share my opinion, and I hope viewers of the work get my point.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
TRUMPOMANIA
Opening Reception: Friday March 3rd, 7-10pm
SALOMON ARTS TRIBECA, 83 Leonard St, NYC, NY 10013
‚TRUMPOMANIA‘ is an international group exhibition featuring international artists from over 30 countries, curated by Vika Latysheva (Russia), Melissa McCaig-Welles (USA) and Charlotte Hamson (Canada).
With Amr Fahed (Syria), Mazher Nizar (Yemen), Icy & Sot (Iran), Olek (Poland), Cacao Rocks (Greece), Sen2 (Puerto Rico), Roman Gromov (Ukraine), Maurice Marty (France), Ashekman (Lebanon), Repas (Kazakhstan), Tyler (India), Sergey Mironenko (Russia), Chervi (Kirgystan), Vasily Grino (Belarus), Charlotte Hamson (Canada), Michael Mararian (USA), Marcos Martinez (Spain), Alona Ojog (Moldova), Alex Diamond (Germany), Richie Culver (UK), Jay Ole (Denmark), and many more