A renegade artist took to Central Park this weekend to express discontentment with presidential candidate Donald Trump in the form of a fake tombstone dedicated to the oft-lampooned businessman with the epitaph “Make America Hate Again.” The mysterious stone also features Trump’s birth year, 1946, but includes no year of death.
[…]
The equally-critical graveyard project first surfaced on social media on Saturday, but by Sunday night had been removed by the city Parks Department—much to the chagrin of anti-Trump New Yorkers.
A spokesperson for the parks department told NBC that there is currently no information as to who erected the tombstone, but that it was city employees who hauled it away. No word on where, exactly, the artifact was hauled to.
Read more here.
A tombstone to the US political system would be more apropos -- Trump is vile, but he’s but a symptom.
Perhaps you should do your own renegade art piece.
Nah, I’m too lazy for that. And there is no way I can get to Central Park.
My main criticism* is that I don’t understand what is the purpose behind the tombstone. Is it a violent threat? It probably isn’t but if I were a police officer I wouldn’t take my chances during an election year. Is it to show that Trump is a passing phenomena and that his political days are numbered? I might agree to that, but as I’ve hinted in my previous comment -- Trump stands for much more that just Trump’s ego. And when it comes to Trump descend into irrelevance -- I’d rather talk about that after election day.
So, all in all this piece does little of value, but it could very well be used by Trump to show that the Liberals are trying to kill him.
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* All art should be criticized. That’s the difference between a piece of art and a tech gewgaw -- criticism is the crucible in which good art is separated from the bad. I also reject that art may be only criticized by other artists. By that token you may not criticize any movies or books unless you’ve filmed or written one yourself. It’s a bit elitist to tell me to do my own art just because I don’t like this one.
/rant over.
Alexander:
I dont’ think that’s a valid criticism. The piece obviously got a reaction, and got you thinking, and that’s one purpose of art.
I don’t view it in any way as a threat, and I doubt anyone else did, either. All unlicensed installations in NY (and many other places) are automatically removed from public spaces. To me, the “Made America Hate Again” says it all. Trump may well be a symptom, however, he’s also a cause. He has become the unapologetic voice for open hatred and bigotry, which is being happily adopted by all manner of entitlement-minded and privileged people. He’s extremely dangerous right now, which may not be close to how dangerous he’d be in high office, but still.
:Laughs: Well, you’re free to think that. I don’t care if you don’t like it or not. Personally, my solution to something I don’t like, art-wise, is to do something myself.
Caine
I wouldn’t call that thinking -- more like rambling. As for reaction -- any internet can get a reaction out of me. It isn’t necessary a good thing. The thing is, I don’t know where the line between meatspace trolling and art is drawn. Is Hanksy’s “Trump is shit” graffiti any better than actually saying “Trump is shit”? In what way the tombstone is an improvement (besides the obvious lack of shit)?
You’re just being mean because my artistic taste and/or talent was removed in a tragic childhood accident involving War and Peace and a toxic waste dump.
Alexander:
I don’t know that there is a distinction to be made, unless we’re talking still lifes or something. Artists have always indulged in what is now known as trolling. Generally speaking, there’s a commentary in most art pieces, some commentary achieving a sublime subtlety. (I wouldn’t put either of these pieces in that category, natch.) Personally, I think Hanksy’s (and I don’t like his piggybacking on Banksy, either) piece is, well, shit. Regardless, it resonates with a lot of younger people, and I think it’s a mistake to judge the impact of any piece on my own feelings. Really, that’s one of the worst things about aging -- you have to constantly be on guard of your mind closing up like a musty attic.
The headstone’s impact is different, I think, in that it not only addresses Trump’s legacy, but the potential legacy of uStates -- nothin’ but hate. And the military to carry it out. A lot of people here are once again experiencing the intense fear of nuclear war if certain people make the white house, and that’s another potential legacy expressed by the headstone. I lived through that fear during Reagan, and I have no wish to revisit those times, but it’s on people’s minds.
Now that sounds like an interesting art installation!