tiny trump

tiny trump 2.0 Artist Statement — written December 19th, 2020

The election is over, but trumpism is not.

I am not the first person to say it, but it seems to me that the Republican party is transforming itself into an anti-democratic, authoritarian, demagogue-worshipping party with trump at its center.

trump’s anti-democracy record is long: casting Democrats as “enemies of the state” rather than patriots with differing political views, continually suggesting his political enemies should be “locked up,” repeatedly cozying up to other authoritarians, undermining faith in our elections, attempting to overturn the will of the people in swing states by appealing to state legislators to appoint trump electors, and still refusing to concede. The vast majority of the GOP did not object to these anti-democracy tactics, instead, it has marched in lock step.

I was planning on concluding the project on January 20th, 2021, when Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president. However, it appears trump’s grip on the party is so strong that Republican candidates across the country are casting themselves in his image to appeal to his base. And they are embracing his anti-democracy values in the process.

tiny trump 2.0 is the natural foil to this offensive; the flip side of the coin. So long as Republican politicians insist on casting themselves in trump’s image, tiny trump will be there to put their behaviors in plain view. tiny trump 2.0 is open source and extensible. Through this DIY template it can be applied to any candidate, from state senator to local assembly person.

Biden referred to the election as a “battle for the soul of the nation.” He was right, and he still is. It’s clear to me that our democracy and the values of equality, inclusion, and anti-authoritarianism will need some serious defending in the years to come.

tiny trump 2.0 has evolved to become bigger than trump. It can be applied to anyone who casts themselves in his image and is designed to keep people engaged in the fight against trumpian values for as long as necessary.

—Eric Corriel, artist

tiny trump 1.0 Summary — updated December 19th, 2020

While the majority of Americans disapproved of the authoritarian and divisive tones emanating from the Trump White House, most people felt powerless to stop it and, as a result, remained largely inactive. tiny trump helped transform this wide-ranging demographic into activists, one tiny act of resistance at a time, by giving people a publicly visible way to resist and make their voices heard.

tiny trump 1.0 Artist Statement — written January 8th, 2018

Donald Trump projects himself as larger than life. This is a cover. In reality he is insecure and mentally fragile.

When I hear, “in a short period of time I understood everything there was to know about health care,” and “I know the details of taxes better than anybody,” I do not see a “genius.” I see someone who is insecure about his intelligence and desperate to provide cover for what he doesn’t know.

When I see the president of the United States throwing paper towels at survivors of a natural disaster as though he were playing arcade basketball, I don’t see someone who is trying to lighten the mood. I see a person who either can’t or doesn’t want to be seen empathizing with minorities.

When I see him condemn “both sides,” pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and retweet the most offensive anti-Muslim videos without context, I see a morally weak leader unwilling to condemn bigotry, hatred, and racism.

When I see the record rate at which he lies and the contempt he has for journalistic institutions I see someone who simply isn’t mentally strong enough to engage with the truth.

When I see him engage in tit-for-tat reprisals with Rosie O’Donnell, Mika Brzezinski, Megyn Kelly, and boast about “grabbing [women] by the pussy,” I see a misogynist.

And when he insults a Muslim gold star family, calls Mexicans “drug dealers, criminals, rapists”, and refers to black majority countries as “shitholes,” I see a xenophobe and a racist.

In short, I do not see a big man when I look at donald trump. Quite the opposite. I see a small-minded and petty man. I see tiny trump. And I am not alone.

tiny trump gives those who see trump as small a means to exert ourselves in a publicly visible and meaningful way.

—Eric Corriel, artist