A nude statue of Donald Trump, covered in 23-karat gold leaf, was installed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, causing a stir both for its provocative depiction of the American president and for the political messages its creator seeks to convey.
The 2.6-meter-tall sculpture, titled “The Orange Plague” and also known as “King of Injustice,” depicts Trump completely naked, sitting on the shoulders of a small, exhausted man who appears to be buckling under his weight.
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The American president holds a golf club and the scales of Justice in his hands, while his belly and thighs tightly encircle the head of the figure carrying him.
At the base of the statue is an inscription that sums up the work’s message: “I am sitting on a man’s back. He is sinking under my weight. I would do anything to help him. Except get off his back.”
What the artist says
The artist is Danish artist Jens Galsiot, known for the political protest artworks he has presented in various countries. As he explained to CNN, the choice of gold was no accident, as it alludes to Trump’s particular fondness for this precious metal.
“Trump likes gold. In a way, I think he’d like this sculpture,” the artist commented, adding that his goal was to denounce what he considers to be the U.S. president’s threats to the environment and the rules-based international order. “Trump is destroying everything I believe in,” he said pointedly.
Why he chose to depict Trump naked
The symbolism behind the U.S. president’s nudity is particularly interesting. Galsiot explained that he was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in which a vain ruler is deceived and ends up parading naked before his subjects, unaware of his own humiliation.
“Dictators don’t like it when people laugh at them,” the artist said, explaining that humor and the ridicule of authority are key elements of his artistic politics.
The sculpture has been installed in one of the European Parliament’s busiest corridors, through which MEPs, their staff, and visitors pass every day.
The exhibition opened on Tuesday and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, October 8.
In fact, next to the statue, more than 1,000 miniature replicas—created using 3D printers—are available for visitors to take home as symbolic tokens of protest.
Behind the initiative is Danish MEP Per Clausen, a member of the Red-Green Alliance and the Left political group in the European Parliament.
According to the Danish MEP, the response to the project was largely positive, although there were reactions from some representatives of the far right.
The Adoption of the Report and the European Parliament’s Position
The presence of the statue on the grounds of the European Parliament does not, however, mean that the institution endorses the work’s political message.
According to its rules of procedure, each Member of the European Parliament may support up to two cultural events or exhibitions per parliamentary term, provided they have obtained the necessary approval in advance.
The relevant rules prohibit exhibitions deemed offensive, inflammatory, contrary to the fundamental values of the European Union, or capable of undermining the Parliament’s prestige.
A spokesperson for the press office confirmed that this particular exhibition was approved by the European Parliament’s deans, who are responsible for reviewing such requests.
Donald Trump has not yet commented on the sculpture or its presence in the European Parliament.
