Art of the 2016 Election: Hillary & Trump
Political Art of Hillary and Trump
Politics—and presidential elections, especially—have always provided rich fodder for the arts. There are political cartoons, caricatures, and street art that can shape the conversation—at the very least the visual one—that is happening around the candidates, their policies, and how the public views them.
For Hillary and Trump, the artists have come out in full force. The resulting political art is incredibly varied, sometimes vulgar, many times virulent, and most definitely worth viewing.
Be forewarned: the following images are intense, humorous, or offensive, all depending on your political leanings and opinions. This roundup is by no means meant to be definitive, but every single one of these pieces of political art was made to, we hope, make people think, react, and engage. That’s the power of art as we all know and that’s what I appreciate about these works most of all. Enjoy!
*For more on the candidates’ political positions and views of the fine arts, see Where Hillary and Trump Stand on the Arts on ArtistsNetwork.*
**Don’t forget to vote, Americans, on November 8th. Polls open at 6am and if you are in line by 9pm, you will be allowed to cast your vote.**
The New Yorker Covers
Always a source for political art, The New Yorker has featured both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on its cover.
Trump Kissing
Taking inspiration from the famous Berlin Wall graffiti piece of 1990 by Dmitri Vrubel featuring Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker in a fraternal kiss, contemporary street artists have created political art featuring Donald Trump smooching with Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Boris Johnson, and himself.
The Duo
For better or worse, the political careers of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will forever be intertwined. Several political art pieces show the two inextricably linked, some of those connections more risque than others.
Mark Wagner created one of his trademark currency collages of the two candidates side by side. A street art depiction shows the two as the creepy twins from The Shining. Another street mural first started as a nude Trump portrait (after the painting by Illma Gore) and was then updated with the addition of Hillary Clinton’s face, acting as a fig leaf of sorts, obscuring her opponent’s crotch. Another mural represents Hillary only in the presence of the slogan associated with her campaign–“I’m with her”–but features Melania Trump with a pair of Donald Trumps grimacing over her breasts.
Hillary’s Fangirl
Artist Sarah Sole took Hillary Clinton as her primary painting and collage subject back when Hillary first ran for president in 2008. Her work explores the candidate as a larger-than-life icon, as a sex symbol, and as a savior among many others.
Trump’s Portraits
Donald Trump has been depicted as a Troll Doll and Richie Rich. He has been painted as a clown by artist Tony Pro. His likeness has been painted in shades of grey as well as in menstrual blood–the latter by artist Sarah Levy. He has been painted very red by Jim Torok, spattered in breast milk by Rob Pruitt, and as Drumpf by William Powhida. An imagined nude portrait of him taking a knee was created by Illma Gore. Eric Yahnker’s colored pencil drawing Pierced Piety shows Trump in profile with a punk assemblage of earrings. ABCNT presents Trump with Biff Tannen as his running mate and Joe McKendry shows him prepping for the debates with a pair of goggles and Tan in a Can.
Hillary Portraits
Hillary Clinton has been portrayed as a slug by political cartoonist Glen McCoy. She is a prehistoric saber-tooth tiger in the hands of RJ Matson. She’s been shown with four faces, tatted up and topless, as a tank-bodied robot, as a stripper in an American flag bathing suit, and holding a flame thrower. She’s on safari hunting the truth in a political cartoon by Ken Catalino. She’s smoking a joint in a portrait by Eric Yahnker. She’s Rosie the Riveter in some presentations, and she’s presented as a beatific Statue of Liberty by Konni Jensen.
Trump Sculpture
A sculpture of a very naked and very pink Trump made the rounds in New York City in the summer of 2016. Nearby in Central Park Trump’s “gravestone” by artist Brian Andrew Whiteley was put in place early in the year and the epitaph read “Made America Hate Again.”
Have a technical question?
Contact UsJoin the Conversation!