Arts Notes

Memes sending up artist Jon McNaughton's Trump "masterpiece" break the internet

by Janet Smith on August 22nd, 2019 at 3:51 PM
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      It didn't take long. Infamously right-wing painter Jon McNaughton had barely released his portrait of U.S. president Donald Trump when the memes started going crazy.

      He was kind of asking for it. "How will history remember this presidency? I believe it will be considered a 'Masterpiece'," the artist boldly proclaimed on social media. And thus he unveiled the grandiose portrait of the smirking commander in chief seated by an easel, a painting palette in one hand, the other coyly pulling open a red velvet cloth to reveal... What? A copycat impressionist canvas? America's blurry future? 

      McNaughton explains more on his website, where the print of his "masterpiece" sells for 29 bucks: "He has changed the direction of this country economically, devastated ISIS, negotiated with countries on the world stage, and been a powerful voice for American ideals."

      It has not taken the Twittersphere long to respond, piling on memes that altered the masterpiece Trump is revealing--everything from variations on Jeffrey Epstein to Vladimir Putin barechested atop a steed to an orange mess that mirrors his own face to our favourite: The Scream.

      McNaughton is known for putting his brushwork to imagery that glorifies The Donald's cause; he previously painted Respect the Flag, a portrait of Trump picking up a shredded and trampled stars-and-stripes off the football field. "When the NFL players decide to kneel as the national anthem was given, I felt sick." Come to think of it, we're feeling a little ill right now too.

       

       

       

       

       

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      Janet Smith

      Style and arts editor/writer Janet Smith has spent more than two decades covering Vancouver's booming cultural scene, where she's witnessed everything from opera performed in a giant bird cage to ballerinas banging their heads to heavy metal. She's Rotten Tomatoes-certified, sits on the...

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