Anti-Trump art blossoms in US

Erik Lopez, dressed as “Captain Mexico”, stands in front of police officers while protesting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump outside of the Hyatt Regency hotel during the California Republican Party 2016 Convention in Burlingame, Calif., Friday, April 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

LOS ANGELES—Many Americans are taking to canvas and poster board this year to express their political thoughts through depictions—sometimes unflattering—of presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Trump, the controversial billionaire who is leading the Republican Party nomination race and is known for his incendiary comments, has become the most popular subject among artists.

“It’s gotten a lot of people together to create art against him,” said Mitchel Dumlao, cofounder of the LA Street Art Gallery.

“It kind of speaks about the type of his political ideologies and backgrounds. The more controversial a candidate is, the more attention he gets,” Dumlao added.

New York artist Hansky unveiled in Manhattan one of the most blunt and critical depictions of the former reality TV star to date: Trump’s face incorporated into a pile of feces buzzed by flies.

Piñatas, T-shirts

Known for disparaging remarks about Mexicans, Trump piñatas have been selling well for months both in the United States and Mexico.

Other popular items in the Hispanic community are T-shirts and posters with the slogan “Donald eres un pendejo” (Donald you’re an asshole”) in large white letters on a black background along with a profile of Trump’s face.

The people behind “pendejo” art—popular in places like New York, Los Angeles and Miami—are Mexican businessmen who have been active in organizing anti-Trump rallies.

Lately residents in cities like Chicago, Washington, New York and Los Angeles have been seeing “No Parking Anytime” street signs modified to read “No Trump Anytime.”

“Like so many people, I don’t have a voice in politics,” said the Los Angeles-based artist Plastic Jesus, who came up with that idea.

“The New York Times or The Times in London would never give me a column to write my opinion on politics, or the war on drugs or banking crisis,” Jesus said.

“But for me, street art is a good way to get my opinion out there and hopefully start a dialogue across the nation,” he added.

Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton’s depiction in popular art is likewise not positive.

Hillary

In one example, her face is printed on a cardboard pine freshener—the kind that dangles from the rear view mirror in cars—with the slogan “Hillary Stinks—Reeks of Scandal” can be found for sale in Los Angeles.

The former US secretary of state also appears in a faux poster for the animated ogre movie “Shrek,” and in a series of black and white “Don’t Say” posters, that include her face matched with words like “Entitled,” “Secretive,” “Polarizing” and “Calculating.”

“Street art in general has always been a tool against the establishment and the government, and Hillary is kind of seen as the establishment and the government: Same old politicians that we’ve seen before,” Dumlao said.

“People have a lack of trust in her and her campaign,” he added. AFP