“Dump Trump” yard sign by Hanksy, image courtesy of dumpacrossamerica.com
America’s 2016 presidential election is quickly encroaching and the USA’s current political climate has only furthered its citizens’ divisive sentiments. What was once a joke run amuck has now morphed into a terrifying reality as Donald Trump continues with his campaign towards becoming the next POTUS. Wielding equal parts satire and spray paint to express their criticisms, street artists around the globe are voicing their disapproval towards the Republican nominee.
Read below to learn more about the creative group of individuals taking hold of America’s future in the best way they know how – by communicating their anti-Trump stance with murals, posters and stencils displayed on streets all over the world.
“Donald Trump, Love Yourself” by TABBY, image courtesy of tabbythis.com
TABBY
Hailing all the way from Vienna, TABBY ensures Europe’s minds are kept safe from a pro-Trump rhetoric via a series of comical reimaginations of the orange-hued businessman getting down with himself. The artwork is entitled “Donald Trump, Love Yourself” – and do we spy a Bieber reference? “Trump is everything that’s right and wrong with America and the world, the creative told Huffington Post. “He’s the American Dream of being super wealthy and saying what you want, while being totally out of touch with reality.”
Plastic Jesus, image courtesy of streetartnews.net
Plastic Jesus
As an LA-based creative, Plastic Jesus incorporated his geographic location with biting wit into the fight against Trump. Inspired by the notorious wall that the GOP can’t seem to stop talking about, the artist built a miniature concrete version around the perimeter of Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Finishing touches included barbed wire and a few “keep out” signs for good measure. The 6-inches tall barrier was promptly removed, but thanks to the internet the symbolic gesture lives on.
“Donald Trump” text by Jason Innocent and photo by Alex Wong, image courtesy of egomaniac-trump.co
Jason Innocent
Created in collaboration with Getty images photographer Alex Wong, last week Jason Innocent revealed an unofficial campaign poster with the word “ego-maniac” to describe his (and many others) thoughts on the Republican candidate. In a press release for the artwork Innocent said, “The future of our nation is in our hands, and therefore, we should not treat it with levity.” The artist is now putting up these images across New York’s Lower East Side, East Village, Chinatown and Soho neighbourhoods. His work aims to reaffirm the importance of every vote, furthering: “It is our right and duty to cast our sacred vote to the one who deserves it during the voting period.”
“Dump Trump” by Hanksy, image courtesy of tomhanksy.tumblr.com
Hanksy
If you’ve ever thought “Trump is a piece of shit” then look no further. Illustrating the GOP nominee as a giant anthropomorphic pile of waste, New York artist Hanksy is taking his popular stance nationwide with “Dump Across America“. The extensive campaign goes beyond painting city walls, with lawn signs, mugs and bumper stickers as well as a legion of supporters travelling across the country in protest against the potential president. In an interview with Business Insider featured on the creative’s website, Hanksy says: “I know this is a cartoon piece of imagery — when it comes down to it, it’s just a turd — but there are layers to it. You never know what can take off, what can hit people and trigger things in someone.”