“Damnatio memoriae” means “condemnation of memory” in Latin. It describes a desire to exclude a figure from official historical accounts, resulting in the destruction of all images and references to that figure. This body of work wistfully applies the concept of damnatio memoriae to Trump’s twitter account, sourced from my archive of his tweets before the account was shut down. Often the act of damnatio memoriae leaves traces, lines, inversions and craters, as seen in the Severan Tondo (c. 199CE). This body of work burns, scratches, covers, and obscures Trump’s words and icons of American white supremacy.
And there is no remedy (Y no hay remedio) x March 15 tweet, ink drawing on gel transfer on plexiglass sandwiched with a mirror backing. 2.5x5.75” 2020.
Not/Either (Tampoco) x January 12 tweet, ink drawing on gel transfer on plexiglass sandwiched with a mirror backing. 3x6.5” 2020.
January 6 rally x July 6 tweet, raw graphite, hematite and charcoal on distressed gel transfer of Trump tweets on wood with scorch marks. 6x12” 2020-2021.
For want of a knife ('Por una navaja) x January 12 tweet, ink drawing on gel transfer on plexiglass sandwiched with a mirror backing. 3x6.5” 2020.
One can’t tell why (No se puede saber por qué) x March 9 tweet, ink drawing on gel transfer on plexiglass sandwiched with a mirror backing. 2.5x5.75” 2020
Virginia Monument x June 23 tweet, raw graphite and charcoal on distressed gel transfer of Trump tweets on wood with scorch marks. 6x12” 2020.