Poo and neo-Nazi torches: Anti-Trump protest art ahead of elections

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” 

Groucho Marx said that. And wherever he is, he’s probably smiling at the political artworks in Washington right now.  

Two statues have mysteriously appeared one week before the US elections, and they both have the misdiagnosing Donald Trump in their visors. 

An unknown artist – or group of artists – has created a bronze replica of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk and adorned it with a giant turd reminiscent of the poop emoji.  

Located along the National Mall near the US Capitol, the statue titled “The Resolute Desk”, comes with a plaque that reads: “This memorial honors the brave men and women who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021 to loot, urinate and defecate throughout those hallowed halls in order to overturn an election.”

It continues: “President Trump celebrates these heroes of January 6th as ‘unbelievable patriots’ and ‘warriors.’ This monument stands as a testament to their daring sacrifice and lasting legacy.” 

The clearly satirical nature of the artwork refers to the January 6 insurrection and Trump’s criminal attempt to overturn his loss. Four people died on that day and Trump has said he would pardon those arrested should he win against Kamala Harris on 5 November.  

The desk is a symbol of the Capitol attack, as one Trump supporter, Richard “Bigo” Barnett, was photographed with his feet on Pelosi’s desk. He was sentenced last May to more than four years in prison. 

“All the folks who follow ‘Bigo’ need to know the actions of Jan. 6 cannot be repeated without some serious repercussions,” said US District Judge Christopher Cooper when announcing the sentence. 

Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury last year for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, with investigations by special counsel Jack Smith and the House Jan. 6 committee concluding that Trump’s actions were to blame for the insurrection. 

The second – and newest – statue is a tiki torch, which has been erected in Freedom Plaza, a few blocks from the White House. 

The statue, titled “The Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame,” mocks the former president’s 2017 comments, when he defended the white supremacists who carried torches during a parade through the University of Virginia campus, chanting “Jews will not replace us.” 

Again, the statue comes with a plaque, which reads: “This monument pays tribute to President Donald Trump and the ‘very fine people’ he boldly stood to defend when they marched in Charlottesville, Virginia. While many have called them white supremacists and neo-Nazis, President Trump’s voice rang out above the rest to remind all that they were ‘treated absolutely unfairly.’ This monument stands as an everlasting reminder of that bold proclamation.” 

The rally that followed the University of Virginia march sparked violence and led to the death of Heather Heyer, who was murdered by a self-described neo-Nazi who drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville.  

Trump stated that “there were very fine people on both sides.”

The identity of the artist(s) behind the artworks remains a mystery. All that is known is that the permit was approved by the National Park Service. The documentation shows that Civic Crafted LLC and Julia Jimenez-Pyzik requested permission to display the statues. 

The Washington Post did get a call from the artist, who wished to remain anonymous and stated that other people were involved – but wouldn’t say how many. 

“We are hoping they spark conversation about what we view are certain political issues that are relevant to voters and how they make their decision voting,” he told the Washington Post.  

It was also stated that Jimenez-Pyzik was not involved in the project and that Civic Crafted was “nothing.” 

The statues have provoked some reactions, as Pelosi’s nameplate has gone missing from the desk and the tiki torch has been snapped in two.  

The mystery caller stated that they would fix it.  

The statues won’t make it to Election Day, however, as the desk is scheduled to be removed today and the tiki torch tomorrow. 

Additional sources • Washington Post, NBC