Donald Trump has officially won the recent elections and is set to become the next President of America — leaving many sectors in their wake including that of art. His presidency has been hotly debated for the past four years by artists, collectors and critics — his return seems set to reignite those often fiery debates about where politics rubs against art.
Trump’s presidency has historically been polarising; his policies and statements have left many stirred up in the ongoing political debate. In the art world, his administration has long been seen as opposed to progressive values. Trump’s policies, from arts fund cuts to stances on immigration that could divest the art world of its diversity, have raised concerns about artistic expression and freedom under his government.
As his election win generates plenty of art world responses The Getty created an internship program specifically to address this issue, and now artists and curators in private conversations often talk of their dread that everything achieved during the past administration is about to be reversed. His presence then without a doubt calls into question what the future holds for others whose voices seldom reach policymakers — not least of which would be any conceivable progressive coalition that could conceivably try to build on his presidency, however flawed such an attempt has been before.
Meanwhile, for some Trump is the slap in the face that will finally get artists off their butts. Let this election outcome, then, be an impetus to further activism towards change through art — as artists have always led the way in social and political movements. The answer will appear in the form of more artists working together, shows that spit on the establishment and art touching on political cartoons questioning the roots of society itself.
The repercussions of a Trump presidency are now leaving the art world scrambling to come to terms with this seismic change that will be felt for years. Artists who understand what resilience and creativity means in the face of adversity better than anyone else. In a world of doubt some artists stand ready waiting to push after frontiers, inquiring and stirring the conversation.
We have to wait a few months before we can find out how the art world morphs into this newly political state. Will it be caged in fear, or will it face its moment of truth as art and wield the sword of resistance?
Originally published in Art Newspaper
Iftikar Ahmed is a New Delhi-based art writer & researcher.
