Artist Cara DeAngelis has a history of using roadkill in her paintings, and is no stranger to social commentary. In her first attempt at political satire, she has painted a portrait of Donald Trump with roadkill replacing the “hair” that is normally on his head. The painting is titled “Donald Trump with a Crown of Roadkill”. The release of this painting comes at the climax of this election season, and on the heels of many great works by other artists, all defaming Trump.
The painting is done primarily in oils, which references traditional aristocratic portraiture, and at first glance appears to be nothing more. The idea to create what looks on the surface like a traditional portrait is done as a nod to the many portraits Trump has commissioned of himself over the years. DeAngelis also employs tar as a medium to symbolize corruption, greed, and over-industrialization. Tar has long been used as a potent representation of death and criminality in film, literature, and art. In this vein, the artist uses it extensively in her work, and in the portrait of Donald Trump his suit is coated in a layer of black tar.
The furry victims on top of Trump’s head refer not only to his hair dilemma, but also more poignantly to the many skeletons in his closet, of which we’re learning about daily. In the portrait, Donald Trump seems to be unaware of the rot, which is even starting to drip down his temple. The viewer can see what he cannot: that there is blood coming out his… “wherever.”
About the artist: Cara DeAngelis is a recipient of the CT Office of the Arts Fellowship Grant for 2012, as well as the Barbara Deming/Money for Women Grant. She has had full fellowships at both the Vermont Studio Center and the Prairie Center of the Arts. In 2010 she was awarded residency at the Terra Foundation in Giverny, France, along with a Guggenheim travel grant. She is also a recipient of the Rudolph Zallinger Painting Award. She currently lives and works between CT and NY as artist and curator, and is represented by gary marotta fine art in Provincetown, MA.
For your first attempt at political satire, Cara, it’s a winner!
Indeed!
I build rifles.
I am looking for Trump art to decorate rifles.