COURSE: Art 107 – Introduction to Digital Forms
MEDIUM: Digital Illustration, Digital Collage
DESCRIPTION:
An older woman looks up at a painting of Donald Trump, collaged into “Napoleon I on his Imperial Throne” (1806) by Jean-Auguste-Dominique. Napoleon truly rose to power in 1799 when he led a Coup d’État against the Directory, creating the consulate and naming himself First Consul. In 1802, he named himself “Consul for life”, then in 1804 “Emperor of the French”. Napoleon’s rise from charismatic populist to emperor was defended by claims that France needed a strong leader during chaotic times. President Trump’s rhetoric bears an uncanny resemblance to Napoleon’s, and this work envisions a future where power-hungry imperialist dreams have been realized.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
As a game designer and philosopher, I pay attention to systems and how they shape people’s behavior. The current dismantling of regulations around bribery, the limiting of watchdog organizations, and the expansion of executive power show a disturbing trend. In our country, we have built a system that promotes and propagates democracy through carefully designed laws. Trump is playing the political game by changing the rules to benefit himself instead of competing within the rules. I wanted to give a vision of a future where the grandest dreams of rule-breakers were realized. If these dreams are realized, the depictions of Trump’s rise to power would transform from heretical to orthodox, his placement upon the throne divinely mandated. I imagine the woman thinking back to the instability and fear of government upheaval, juxtaposed with the passive yet grand taunt displayed by the regal image she looks up at. The still painting obscures the chaos that made its creation a reality. Trump holds in his right hand a modified Scepter of Charlemagne, used to coronate French kings, which has been replaced by the American Eagle. In his left hand, the scepter of justice, which traditionally has two ringers raised, has lost a finger to represent Trump’s attitude towards the Law. The ceremonial robes have been imbued with the stars and colors of the American flag, representing the embodiment of the nation in the regent. The elevated position in the shot and comparative magnitude represent the dominance and supremacy of the new monarch.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this submission to the Digital Salon are those of the creator and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Digital Salon, DesignLab, or UW-Madison.