October 31st 2024.
The series of anti-Trump statues appearing in cities across the US began with a controversial display on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The statue, which was a replica of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk, stood tall with a basketball-sized poop on top. And now, it seems that more and more of these unique and politically charged statues are popping up in other cities as well.
Recently, a new statue appeared in Philadelphia's Maja Park, causing quite a stir. This time, it was a 2.5m statue of Donald Trump, placed right behind a sculpture of a nude woman. The plaque below the statue read "In honour of a lifetime of sexual assault" and featured a quote from the infamous Access Hollywood tape that leaked in 2016. The tape captured Trump discussing his views on sexually assaulting women, and the plaque was a clear commentary on his words.
However, the Trump statue in Philadelphia did not last long. City officials quickly removed it after receiving reports that the artists did not have a permit for the display. According to Laura Griffith, deputy director of the association for public art, the city crews were notified of the statue's presence and took action to remove it by the afternoon.
A similar statue also appeared in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend. This one was swiftly destroyed and vandalized, with a city council candidate and Trump supporter filming himself chiseling away at the plaque. The destroyed statue disappeared by Monday morning.
CNN received a call on Thursday morning from a man who claims to be the mastermind behind these political art displays. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous to keep the focus on the art, revealed that he is working with a small group of individuals. "It's not a huge group, just a few of us," he explained. Their message is all about "resistance fatigue" and reminding people of the important issues that should inform their decision-making process.
Another statue, a bronze tiki torch, appeared in DC's Freedom Plaza, just blocks away from the White House. This statue, titled "The Donald J Trump Enduring Flame," was clearly mocking the former president's defense of the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, resulting in the death of a woman. The plaque below the statue further emphasized this, highlighting Trump's statement that they were "very fine people."
However, the tiki torch statue was also destroyed by a vandal on Wednesday, and the remnants were removed by the art team responsible for the display. The United States Park Police arrested a man for destruction of property and possession of cocaine in connection with the incident.
While the anonymous artist or artists behind these statues have remained a mystery for days, a permit approved by the National Park Service shows that Civic Crafted LLC and Julia Jimenez-Pyzik were responsible for requesting and receiving permission to display the statues in Washington, DC. However, the anonymous artist claims that Jimenez-Pyzik only helped with the permit application and is now being bombarded with inquiries as more statues mysteriously appear.
Out of all the statues, the only one that remains standing is the original one of Pelosi's desk, although it has also been a target for vandals. In recent days, someone even ripped off Pelosi's nameplate from the piece, although it has since been replaced. When asked if there are plans for more statues to appear before Election Day, the anonymous artist coyly replied, "There are still a few days left before the election, so anything is possible."
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