“I installed a sculpture in New York because he was where he built his image, his empire, his legend,” artist James Colomina told USA Today.
Red Donald Trump sculpture appears in a manhole in New York City
French artist James Colomina installed a red card sculpture with a rat on a manhole in New York City.
President Donald Trump appeared in New York City on July 23rd. Rather, his distinctive version was.
French artist James Colomina installed a life-size sculpture of the president, titled “Donald” in Manhattan on the morning of July 23rd.
The bright red sculpture, made of resin, depicts playing cards from the waist and comes out of a manhole, which is also part of the sculpture. The statue, wearing a suit and tie, depicted a card chased with a serious look, looking at the skyscraper above him. A small red mouse peered outwards under the manhole covering lid.
“I installed the sculpture in New York because he was where he built the image, his empire, his legend,” Coromina told USA via email to USA Today. “The city he tried to conquer with his golden towers and brutal slogans. I wanted this image – a red body rising from the sewer to interfere with the landscape.”
The sculpture was created in his studio in France in about three weeks, Colomina said. He then disassembled it and transported it to New York, where he later reassembled the sculptures from the site.
Coromina posted a photo of the sculpture on his Instagram story on July 23rd. The caption “Make America Grime Again” is a reference to Trump’s popular motto “Make America Great Again.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told USA Today that many artists are trying to capture Trump’s “strong aura,” but rarely do so.
“Imitation is a sincere form of flattery,” Jackson said. “This ‘artist’ needs to go back to the drawing. Or perhaps it’s an art school. ”
Where was the sculpture?
The sculpture was located at the corner of East 42nd Avenue and 2nd Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, in front of the News Building, about a mile from Trump Tower. It was removed by a maintenance worker at SL Green Realty Corp., a company that owns a skyscraper.
“The sculptures are installed across the street from Chrysler, a symbol of power, elevation and architecture pride,” Coromina told USA Today. “I liked the idea of creating a harsh contrast between this vertical monument and the grotesque figure coming out of the sewer system.”
Who is James Colomina?
Coromina is a street artist known for her bright red life-size sculptures installed in Tokyo, Barcelona, Paris and many other cities.
“The artist’s visual signature, “Colomina Red,” embodies the rage, passion and urgency of the issues he tackles,” says Colomina’s artist biography on the Galeries Bartoux website. “James Colomina prefers a secret, spontaneous approach. He places his work directly on the street without prior presentation, transforming everyday spaces into a platform for artistic reflection.”
Gretacross is a national trend reporter for USA Today. Do you have any story ideas? Please email her gcross@usatoday.com.
